CA2107746A1 - Tape printing device and tape cartridge used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention provides a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and also a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device. The tape cartridge has a characteristic element readably storing specific information on the tape such as a width of the tape. The tape printing device reads the characteristic element to control printing conditions according to the type of the tape cartridge. More specifically, the tape printing device determines a variety of parameters including a number of lines and character sizes of the character series printed on the tape as well as lengths of left and right margins. When a tape of a relatively large width is set in the tape cartridge, the device increases a rotation torque of a platen for feeding the tape. When a tape of a relatively small width is set in the tape cartridge, on the contrary, the device drives only specific dot elements in a range of the tape width out of all dot elements arranged on a printing head. The characteristic element of the tape cartridge stores the specific information expressed as depths of a plurality of holes or electric data. This specific information may be updated to identify a user or detect a residual amount of the tape.

Description

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~ ` , . SPECIFICA~ON
., TITLE OF T~E INVENTION

TAPE PRINTING DEVICE AND TAPE CARTRIDG~ USED THEREIN
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~BAC~GROU~D OF TH~ I~VENTION
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;j 5 Field of the Inv~ntion -iThe present invention relates to a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and -jcutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and al30 . i to a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device ~or receiving a tape therein. More specifically, the invention ., to a technique attaining accurate but simple printing on a variety of tapes such as different widths, color~, and ,.....
materials.
De~criptio~ of the ~elated Ar~
Devices for printing a desirable series of characters on a surface of an adhesive tape, which has a rear face with an adhesive previously applied thereon, and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length (hereinafter referred to a3 ~ape printing device) are generally kno~n and conveniently used in houses and offices~ Such a tape printing device doe~
not require any additional or speci~ic peripheral equipment, ~.
but realizes efficient direct printing of character~ or symbols on an adhesive tape and cutting of the tape to an adhesive la~el. With this ~ape prin~ing device, for e~ample, ~:;

~~ a user can print a title o~ a business file, music, or movie A
~5i~; on a tape and apply an adhesivQ label with the title on~o a ::
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jspine of a file or a back of an audio ca~set~e tape or a video tape conveniently at any de~irable place.

A variety of tape cartridges including tapes o~
differ~nt widths and ink of different color~ are commercially ,~5 available to meet variou~ demands for such a tape prin~ing '3,device. The tapes in the tape cartrid~e range from a relatively wide tape preferably applicable to a thick spine .
of a large file to a relati~ely narrow tape as of several -.~
millimeters in width desira~ly applicable to a narrow back of -i10 an audio ca~sette tape. The tape printing device itself ha~

been improved greatly to have a plurality of function~ to ~realize beautiful printing and allow selection of a dei~irable :~printing style.
:, The inventors have found that it i~ unexpectedly di~icult to obtain desirable labels using the conventional 3 tape printing device with tapes o~ significantly different ~widths. When the difference in the tape width is relatively ,r"~mall, such a problem i5 not clearly recognizedO
-~A variety of tapes and printing styles make operation and control of the ~ape printing device unde~irably complicated, thu~ damaging the esi~ential advantage of the tape printing device that realizes ~imple label printing. ~hen printing of ~-;,a large point number i5 implemented while a tape cartridge ! 'with a narrow tape i5 set in the tape printing device, or ~,~ when a 3erie~ of characters of a standard font are chan~ed to -ihave a wider font, ~he character~ may be mistakenly printed ~out o~ the tape width or a predetermined length.
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In th~ tape printing device, a desirable series of charact~rs and 3ymbols are printed on a certain length of a long tape, and the certain length of the tape with the print ,, .
-;thereon i~ then cut to a label of a desirable len~th manually ,.
~5 or automatically. Left and right margins in a longitudinal . , direction of the tape on the cut tape (hereinafter referred -to as the label) are respectively defined as feeding distances of the tape from a cut end of the tape to a starting position ':`i'!`.'~
of printing and from an end position of printing to a cutting position. In the conventional tape printing devices, the length~ of the left and right margins are generally fixed.
The tape used in the tape printing device has a peeling sheet attached on a rear face thereof to become adhesive when the peeling sheet is peeled off, and is formed to allow thermal trans~er printing. This makes the tape relatively e~pen~ive, and the margins on the tape are thereby fi~e~ to have lengths as small as possibls.

Each label includes a printed portion o-f desirable characters and left and right margins. Since the lengths of th~ marqin~ are fi~ed in the conventional tape printing evice, the ratio of the printed portion to the margins can not be dete ~ ned arbitrarily by the user and may be unbalanced.

A mechani~m allowing the user to specify the lengths of margins has been proposed. When a plurality of tapes of different widths are used, however~ optiwal setting of ~argins for a tape of a certain width is not suitabl~ for other tapes ., -". ~ .
of different widths. Setting of the margin lengths is thus , ;,-.
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required every time when the tape cartridge is changed to ,., s have a tape of a differen-t width.
The tape printing device generally uses a thermal - transfer printing mechani~m to make the printing mechanism ~ 5 and thereby the whole device preferably compact. For the -~l same purpose, a fixed printing head of a sufficient printing 3 range is used to implement printing.
In the thermal transfer print:ing, an ink ribbon as well ..j -; as the tape is accommodated in the tape cartridge so as to be ~ 10 overlapped with each other at a position of a platen roller.
i~ When the tape cartridge is set in the tape printing device to ready for printing, the tape and the ink ribbon are held at the overlapped posi~ion be~ween the thermal head and the ,...
platen roller. When power is supplied to the printing head ~;~ 15 synchronously with feeding of the tape, ink on the ink ribbon is m~lted and transferred onto the ~urface of the tape for ; ~
printiny~
When the user arbitrarily selects the tape width, a printing range of ~he thermal head may become greater than ,i;l the actual width of the tape set i~ ~he device, that i5, characters may be printed outside the tap~ width.
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A method of prohibiting e~ecution of printing has been proposed ~o prevent waste of labels. In ~he compact tape , printing device, however t a display unit is made relatively 5mall and insufficient for informing the user o~ a detailed .:i,, ~ cause of such prohibition The user needs to operate a :i~A layout display function to find the cause.

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Another propo~ed method e~ecute~ printing irrespective :i of the printing range out of -the tape width to obtain a label with partly mls~ing characters. The defecti~e label informs -i the user of a cause o~ printing failure. There are problems described below.

Even when the ~ape cartridg~e has a relatively narrow i tape therein, the ink ribbon accommodated in the tape cartridge 1~ has a width equal to or greater than a printi~g range of the printing head. This makes the ink ribbon to be positioned between the printing head and the pla~en roller and prevents .,, !i the printing head to be directly ~lid against the platen i, roller.
} l ~ When the printing rang~ exceeds khe tape width, ink on ,...
the ink ribbon is undesirably applied on the platen roller.

-,~ 15 This leads to unintentional spots on a rear face of the label ; when another tape of a greater width is subsequently used for q~ printing. Ink adhering to the platen roller changes the :
diameter of the platen roller to vary the left and right margins of the tape or the character size or to cause , ., mechanical troubles.
According to the above results, the user of the conventional tape printing device should change the form, the ~ont size~ and the margin setting every time when a tape of a ?i ' different width is used for printing. The user also needs to check whether the tape cartridge set in the tape printing device include~ a tape of a certain width corre~p~nding to ~`~ the printing range to prevent characters from being printed ~ -5-:., , "
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out of the tape width~
~-, æu~uaR~ OF TH~ I~V~TION
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one object of the invention is accordingly to provide a novel tape printing device and a tape cartridge uised therein which do not require any troublesome management according to the type of a tape used in the device.

Another object o~ the invention is to realize simple and efficient printin~ of a desirable series of characters on a ~,~ tape.

- 10Still another object of the invention is to improve the ~: .
operation conditions by applying a plurality of dif~erent ~';, types of tape cartridges each receiving a tape of a different type to a tape printing device.

The above and other related objects are realized by a tape cartrldge of the invention, which receives a tap~ and is detachably attached in a tape printing device for printing .
a desirable ~eries o~ charactersi on the tape. The tape cartridge includes a characteristic element storing specific ;. ~
in~ormation on the tape in a certain form readable by the tape printing device~
The specific information in the characteristic element .~
may include a contour of the tape cartridge and a combînation ,., j of a plurali~y of openings, which are mechanically readable ~-by the tape printing device. Alternatively, the characteristic -~~ element may store the ~pecific information on the tape as ~electric or magnetic data. In the latter case, the electric . , ,:
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~ `2i~77~1i data or magnetic clata ~tored in the characteristic element may be updated.

~, The ~peci~ic information on the tape ~tored in the '`1 .' characteristic element favorably includes a width of the ~ape, but may include other data ~uch a3 the color or material of the tape, identification of a u~er, a password and a residual amount of the tapeO
The in~ention al~o provide!3 a tape printing device ~1 detachably receiving such a tape cartridge with a tape .~ 10 accommodated therein for printing a desirable series of ., characters on the tape. The tape printing device of the ;; invention characteristically includes an input unit for inputting the desîrable ~eries of character~ r a characteristic element recognîtion unit for reco~nizing a characteristic element previously and mechanically pro~ided on the tape cartridge, and a character series modification unit for modifying and printing the de~irable series of character~ input by the input unit based on results of the recognition by the ;1l characteri~tic element recognition unit.
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:3 ~In another application of the invention~ a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of character~ on a tape detachably rec~ive~ a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element ~howing a-t least a difference of a tape width to di~criminate the tape. Such a tape printing device characteristically includes an input unit ~or inputting ~he desirable series of character~, a characteristic element reading unit for reading the characteristic element of the ~,,,1 ., ', ,~ , .
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2 :1 ~ 7 7 ~ 6 . tapa cartr:idge ko extract specific information electrically ~,!; or magnetically stored therein, and a printing unit for il determining at least one out o-f a number of points o~ the ~i desirable ~eries of characters to be printed on the tape, a ,,j . .
layout of the de~lrable serles of chaxacters, and a feeding torque of the tape based on results of the reading by the characteristic element reading unit, and printing th~ de~irable ~j,"l, serie~ of characters on the tape acc-ording to the determination.
Alternatively, the tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge, which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate the tape, 50 as to print a desirable series of characters on a tape specifi~ally includes an input unit for inputting the desirable serie~ of characters, a characteristic element .;
lS reading unit for reading the characteri3tic element of the , .
tape cartridge to e~tract ~pecific information electrically or magnetically 3tored therein, a possi~le arrangem~nt di3play unit for di3playing a plurality of possible arrangement3, on the tape, o~ the desirable series of characters input by ~he -j. ~ input unit, based on results of the reading by the charac~eristic , . .
~`~ element reading unit, a character seriei arranging unit for selecting a specific character arrangement out of the pos~ible .-:. arrangemen~s and arranging the desirable series of character~
., input by the inpu~ unit according to the specific charact~r - ~ arrangement, and a printing unit for printing the ~eries of , .,:, characters arran~ed by the character s~ries arranginq unit on the tape.
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In s-till another application, a tape printing device de~achably receiving a tape cartridge for updating sp~ci~ic '; information on a tape and printing a desirable series of i;~ characters on the tape characteristically includes a 'I `..,1 ,~, 5 characteristic element reading unit for readinq the characteristic element of the tape cartrid~e to extract ~` specific information electrically stored therein, and an updating unit for updating the specific information electrically or stored in the characteristic element of the tape cartridge.

10In this ca~e, the ~pecific inf ormation updated by the updating unit include~ at least one of a residual am~unt of the tape in the tape cartridge, a code representing a user, a consumed amount of the tape, and a password.

The specific information on the tape may be used for ~etting left and riyht margins. For thi~ purpose, a tape printing device for printing a sentence on a tape and cutting and discharging the taps ~pecifically include~ a margin ~; information setting and storing unit for setting and storing f '~ margin inf ormation representing at leas~ one of lengths of a ! left margin and a right margin to be set before and after the 3entence printed on the cut tape, a tape width detection unit `: for detecting tape width information representing a width of the tape ~et in the device, and a margin ~etting unit for ~ ., j setting the left margin and the right margin in printing, =i~ ~ ba~ed on the margin information ~tored în the margin information ~, ~etting and s~oring unit as well as the tape width information .,~ .
detected by the tape width detection unit~

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- 2 1 0 7 7 ll 6 :' ; In one applicat:ion, the margin information setting and storing unit set~ and stores the lengths of the left margin and the right margin as relative values, and the margin ';~ setting unit then converts the relative values to absolute S values based on the kape width information and sets the left ~ and right margins corresponding to the absolute values.
;~! The specific information on the tape ma~ also be used ~.~ for driving a printing head. For thi~ purpose, a tape ..~
~,i printing device for printing a sentence including one or a -~ 10 plurali~y of lines of input characte.rs on a tape and cutting !'''. and discharging the tape specifically includes a tape width 'i~ information reading unit ~or reading tape width information :~ .
;. representing a width of the tape set in the device, and a head driving range control unit for drivin~ specific dot - 15 elements in a certain range according to the tape width ; information out of a plurality of dot element arranged in serie~ on a printing head.
.,, ~BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

';~ Fig. l i~ a plan view illustrating a tape printing '''! ~ device 1 as a first embodiment according to the invention;

~ Fig. 2 is a right side view showing the tape printing 1 ~ i :; device l of Fig. l;
,: i .~ Fig. 3 is a plan view showing assembly of a tape `~ cartridqe lO in the first embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a botto~ view showing the tape cartridge lO of Fig. 3;

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Fig. 5 i~ an end view illu~trating -the tape cartridge lO
~:`. taken on the line V-V of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 i.s an end view showing an internal structure of the tape cartridge lO with a 6 mm wide tape;
Fig. 7 is an end view ~howing an internal ~tructure of the tape cartridge lO with a 24 mm wide tape;
Fiq. 8 ~hows a relation~hip between the width of a tape T accommodated in the tape cartridge lO and the depth of three detection holes l8K;
~' Fig. 9 is an end view illustrating the tape printing device l taken on the line I~-IX of Fig. l;
~: Fig. lO is a plan view showing a typical structure of a ,., ,'".d, ~ape cartridge holder unit 50A;
~6~ Fig. ll is a perspective view illustrating a gear ~rain and a mechanism for shifting a printing head 60 between a ;, . .
,;~ retreated position and a printing position;
Fig. 12 is an end view showing the mechani~m for hifting the printing head 60 taken on the line ~ XII of Fig. lO;
ig. 13 is an end Vi2W showing a cutting mechanism taken ..... ~ on the line ~ XIII o~ Fig. lO;
Fig. 14 is a block diagram ~howing an cixcuitry structure of ~ape printing device l;
Fig. 15 show~ a typical e~a~ple of a key arrangement on an input unit 50C;
Fig. 16 show~ a structure of a display unit 50D;
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:: 2 10 17 ~ ~) .~ Fig. 17 show~ an exemplified layout di~played on the , ,., display unit 50D;
:. Fig. 18 show~ ~ypical example~ o~ le~-t and right margin~
~ set on the tape;
:i 5Fig. 19 show~ a ~et of printing font~ stored in a ma~k ~ i~
~: ROM 118;
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~ Fig. 20 shows a font map used in three-line printing;
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Fig~ 21 is a flowchart ~howing a plural-line printing o routine;
10Fig. 22A through 22C shows a modification o~ the ~irst ,~i embodiment;
. Fig. 23 ~how~ an essential part of a second embodiment in accordance with the invention;
,~ ., Fig. 24A is a flow~hart showing a communication routine .. 15 in the second e~bodimen~;
j~., . Fig. 24B is a flowchart showing a pre-printing routine . in the ~econd e~bodiment;
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Fig~ 25 i~ a flowchart ~howing a po~t-printing routine in the ~econd embodiment;
Fig. 26 is a block diaqram illustrating a general electric structure of a third embodiment in accordance with the invention;
Fi~. 27 is a flowchart schematically ~howing a rou~ine of ~pecifyinq a print format in the third embodimentJ
Fig~ 28 is a flowchart ~che~atically sh~wing a printing routine in the third embodiment;

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Fig. 29 illustrates typical examples of a post-print feeding process in the ~hird embodiment;
,, . Fig. 30 is a flowchart ~howing a printing proce~ in a - fourth embodiment in accordance with the invent.ion; and Fig. 3l is a block diagram illustrating a modified structure o-f the fourth embodiment.
., ~ Fig. 32 is a fl~wchart showing an example of ad~us~ing , ...
~. the power supply time.
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Fig. 33 is a flowchart showing an example of tor~ue :.
variation.
~;. DE~;CRIP~IOI~ OF THE PREFE:RR13D EMBODIME~
Structures and functions of the present invention will become more apparent through description of the following preferred embodiments of the invention.

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i 15 Fig. l i~ a plan view illustrating a tape printing device 1 embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a right side s: view of ~he tape prin~ing device l. In the de~icription :` ~
below, the relative position of each constituent, for example, right, left, upper, or lower, corre~ponds to the drawi~g of Fig. l.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tape printing device 1 ~, include~ia ca~ing 50~ for accommodating a vaxiety of constituents, . .
..` an input unit 50C having sixty-three keys, a freely openable .~... .
,1~; cover 50R, a display unit 50D arranged visibly through a window 50M of the co~er 50R for di~iplaying a series of ~.~.
. ~ characters or other required information, and a tape cartridge ..~

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,~ holder unit 50~ (see Fig. 10) di~posed on a left upper , .: .
portion of the device 1, which a -tape cartridge 10 is .~ detachably attached to. A window for checking attachm~nt o~
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the tape cartridge 10 is provided on the cover 50K. ~oth ~, 5 windows 50L and 50M are coverecl wi~h transparent plastic platesO

operation of the tape printing device 1 thus constructed is des~ribed briefly. In a first ~tep, an operator opens the cover 50R and attaches the tape cartridge 10 to the tape cartridge holder unit 50A. A~ter closing the cover 50K, the operator turns on a power switch 50J e~ternally mounted on a ~ right side wall of a main body of the device 1 as shown in .~ Fig. 2. The device 1 subsequently e~ecutes an initial .. ~i processing to ready for an input of letters or characters.
,` 15 The operator then input~ a desirable serie3 of letters or i`~ characters with the keys on the input unit 50C. Although ~ input of letters i~ implemented directly through key operation . - ~
of the input unit 50C, an additional process such as conversion fro~ the input letters into Chinese character~ may be required in certain linguistic areas u~ing two-bite character~ like Chinese ~haracter~. ~nlen the operator instructs printinq through a key operation, the device 1 drives a thermal trans~er prin~er unit 50B to start printing on a tape .T fed from the tape cartridge 10. The tape T with the letters or character~ printed ~hereon i~ fed out of a tape outlet lOA
di~posed on a left side wall of the tape printing device 1 The tape ~ used in the e~bodi~ent has a printing surface ~,r '..i 7 '~ ~ ~
_pecifically processed for preferable ink ~pread b~ thermal transfer and an adhesive rear face which a peel tape is applied on. After the printed tape T is cut by a de~irable length to a label with a built-in blade cut-ter and the peel tape is peeled off, the label with characters and symbols printed thereon is applied onto any de~irable place.

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`~Structure and function3 of the tape cartridge 10 are .~. .
~de~cribed mainly based on the plan view of Fig. 3, the bottom : ...
view of Fig. 4, and the cro3s sectional view of Fig. 5 taken on the line V-V of Fig. 3. Each tape cartridge 10 having a , . ..
simil.ar structure can hold a tape o~ a predetermined width.

~ive types of tape cartridges for tapes of 6 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, ;J'18 mm, and 24 mm in width are prepared in the embodiment.

-~ig. 6 is a partly broken cross ~ectional view showing an ~::15 internal structure of the tape cartridge 10, which includes a ~$;6 mm wide tape T running through centers of an ink ribbon ~^2:core 22, a ribbon winding core 24, and a platen 12. Fig. 7 ..~
i5 also a crosR sectional view showing the ~ame with a 24 mm .. ~; wide tape T. ~umbers or symbols repre~enting respective ~~ constituents are omitted in Fig. 7 for clarity of the ,j,..~
drawing~ In Fig~. 5 and 7, part o~ a printing head 60 i~
'1 drawn toge~h~r with ~he cross section of the tape cartridge ~ :i fi10 to ~h~w attachment of the tape T in the tape printiny :
:.itdevice 1.

.. ~; ~ The platen 12 i~ a hollow cylindrical memb~r covered .-: :
u with a platen rubber 14 of a pxedetermined width corresponding ..
~y to the width of the tape T. The platen rubber 14 improves .,, :~

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~ontact of the tape T to an ink ribbon ~ and the printing head 60 for desirable printing. In the embodiment, two -type~
of the platen rubbex 14 are used; a 12 mm wide platen rubber for 6 mm~ 9 mm, and 12 mm tapes (~ee Fig. 63, and a 18 mm ;-1 5 wide platen rubber for 18 mm and 24 mm tapeiY (see Fig. 7)o The platen 12 has a smaller-diametral upper end and a smaller-diametral lower end. The platen 12 i~ freely rotatable since the ~maller-diametral upper end and the smaller-diametral lower end are rotatably fit in apertures 16A and 18A of a top wall 16 and a botto~ wall 18 of the tape cartridge 10, respectively. The aperture~ 1 6A and 18A are formed in substantially elliptic shape as seen in Fig. 4. The hollow '- platen 12 accommodated in the tape cartridge 10 i~ attached to and detached from a platen driving ~haft (de~cribed later) di~posed in the tape printing device 1 accordiny ~o attachment r,j j and detachment of the tape cartridye 10. The platen 12 has si~ engayement groove~ 12A arranged at the equal intervals on an inner surface thereof along a rotational a~is of the platen 12 a~ shown in Figs. 4 and 6. ~he engagement groove~
12A engage with the p]aten driving shaft to transmit a riYing force of the driving ~haft.

The tape cartridq~ 10 is also provided with a tape core 20 which a long tape T is wound on, the ink ribbon core 22, and the ribhon winding core 24. The tape cartridge 10 further inGludei~ a printing head receiving hole 32 which the printing head 60 en~ers and goes in. The printing head recei~ing hole 32 is defined by a guide wall 34.

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The tape core 20 is a hollowr large-diametral cylindri.cal reel for placing a long tape T wound on a . .
relatively large-diametral bobbin in the tape cartridge 10.
i Since a total thickness o~ the wound -tape T on the tape core ~5 20 is small as compared with the diametral of the tape core .
.~' 20, a rotational angular velocity of the tape core 20 for -.' pulling an outer-most wind of the tape T tshown as ~ in Fig.

ii 3) out of the tape core 20 at a certain rate is approximately .
same as a ro~ational angular velocity of the tape core 20 for pulling an inner-mos~ wind of the tape (showm as jS in Fig. 3~

at the same rate. A sufficiently large radius of curvature il of tape core 20 allows even a tape T having poor resistance ', to a bending stress to be w~und on the tape core 20 without i difficulty.

15As shown in Fig. 3, the tape core 20 haR a sha~t hole 20B on a center thereof, which rotatably receives a shaf~

mem~er 18B uprightly projecting from the bottom wall 18 of c~
the tap2 cartridge 10 a~ clearly seen in Fig. 5. The tape . core 20 is provided with a pair of circular thin film~ 20A
respec-~ively applied on axial upper and lower ends of the tape core 20. The thin film 20A has an adhesive layer.
5ince the ~ilm 20A functioning as a flange with respect to the tape T has the adh~i~e layer facing the tape T, side -i edges of the tape T lightly adhere to the film 20A. This keep~ the roll of the tape T wound when rotation of the platen 12 pulls the tapa T out and makes the ~ape cora 20 ,....
.~ drivingly rotate.
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Aq shown in Fig. 3, the tape T wound and accommodated in the tape core 20 runs to the platen 12 via a tape guide pin 26 uprightly projecting from the bottom wall 18 of the tape cartridge 10 an~ goes out of the tape outlet 10A Of the tape cartrid~e 10~ The tape outlet lOA has a guide element 10~ of a predetermined length for~ed along a feeding direction of the tape T. While the tape cartridge 10 is ~et in the ~ape cartridge holder unit 50A, the printing head 60 is placed in the printing head receiving hole 32. Under such conditi.ons, the tape T is held between ~he printing head 60 and the ~! platen 12 and fed according to rotation of the platen 12.

~'i The aperture~ 16A and 18A receiving the upper and lower end~ o~ the platen 12 are formed in elliptic ~hape as mentioned above, and the platen 12 is moYable along longitudinal 15 axe~ of the apertures 16~ and 18A when the tape cartridge 10 is not set in the tape printing device 1. When the tape T
outside the tape cartridge 10 is being pre~sed into the tape cartridge 10, the platen 12 moves along a feeding direction of the tape T. Movement of the platen 12 cause~ the platen rubber 14 on the platen 12 to be in contact with a circumferencP
~; o~ the tape guide pin 26 and ~ezurely holdæ the ~ape T
.~3~: between the platen rubber 14 and the tape guid~ pin 26. This";I
interfere~ with further mo~ement of the kape T. Such a structure effectively prevents ~rom the tape T being ~stakenly pre~ed into the tape cartridge 10.

;, Winding procedure of the ink ribbon R is n~w described.
~,.1 .~ The ink ribbon core 22 includes a hollow~ ~mall diametral ~ -18 , . ' .

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cylindrical member having smaller-diame-tral upper and lower ends ai~ clearly seen in Fig~. 6 and 7. The smaller-diametral lower end has si~ engagement grooves formed a~ first engaging : elements 22A arranged at the equal intervals as shown in ~:~, 5 Figs. 3 and 4. The smaller-diam~tral low~r end of the ink ~` ribbon core 22 is loosely fitted in a circular firsk fitting - aperture l~C ~ormed on the bottom wall 18 of the tape cartridge lO, The upper hollow end o~ the in~. ribbon core 22 .. is loosely fitted in a cylindrical guide projection 16C
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protruded from the top wall 16 of the tape cartridge 10. The ink ribbon core 22 is accordingly held to be drivingly rotatable according to pull-out of the ink ribbon R.

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As ~hown in Fig~ . 3 and 4, a ~ubs-tantially L-shaped first engagiement piece 18D iS formed on the bottom wall t8 of ~,.,,~
~ 15 the tape cartridge 10 to be po~itioned in the vicini~y of the i`~',1 ~;j, lower ends of the ink ribbon core 22 and the ribbon winding L,, ~
core 24 (described later). The first engagemenk piece lBD is formed by cutting part of the bottom wall 18 of the tape car~ridge 10 ~hatched por~ion designated a~ ~ in Fig~ 3).
.` .s3 ~ esiliance of the: material of the bottom wall 18 allows a ... ...
fre~ end of the first engagement piece 18D to be movable around a base portion 18E lntegrally formed with the bo-~tom ~., ~:~!f,,j'j~ wall 18 ~long the plane of the bottom wall 18. When no force `i ~ is applied onto the irst engagemRnt piece 1 8D, the free end of the fir~t engagement piece 18D ii8 positioned insîde the circumference of the first fitting aperture 18C and engages with one of the six engaging elements 22A formed on the lower ~ .~
: :.
'.,.7 --19--~ . .3 :,,~;.

~''''"'"'~i 2 ~
end of the ink ribbon core 22 loosely fitted in the fitting aperture l8C. This e~ectively prevents the ink ribbon core 22 from being unintentionally rotated and the ink ribbon R
from being slack.
The ink ribbon R wound and accommodated in the ink ;
.~` ribbon core 22 is pulled out via a ribbon guide roller 30 and ~ runs along the guide wall 34 to the ribbon winding core 24.
~, In the middle of the ribbon path, the ink ribbon R reaches a position facing the platen l2 to be overlapped with the tape T. ~n Fig. 3, y and ~ re~pectively show the running conditions of the ink ribbon R when the tape cartridge lO is still unused and new, thak is, when only a s~arting end of ~: the ink rîbbon R is on the ribbon winding core 24~ and when ~; the whole ink ribbon R is w~und on the ribbon windi.ng core 24.
The ribbon winding cora 24 includes a hollow cylindrical member o~ substantially the same shape as ~he ink ribbon core 22 as shown in Fig~. 3 and 4O The hollow cylindrical member has smaller-diametral upper and l~er ends in the ~ame manner as the ink ribbon core 22. The lo~er end has si~ engagem~nt grooves formed as second engaging elements 24A arranged at the equal intervals. A~ is the platen 12, the ribbon winding core 24 rotates through engagement with a ribbon winding core ,,,~
driving shaft (described later) disposed in the tape printing de~ice l. The ribbon winding core 24 thu~ has six enga~ement groo~es 24B arranged at the equal intervals on an inner ,. 1 surface of the hollow cylindrical mPmber along a rotational .
.~r~
."~
,.,~

2 ~ '~ 7 ~
axis of the ribbon winding core 24. The ~maller-diametra.l upper and lower endo~ of the ribbon winding cor~, 24 are loocZely and rotatable fitted in a top circular fitti.ng ; aperture 16G and a bottom circular fitting aperture 18G
S formed on the top wall 16 and the bottom wall 18 of the tape . cartridge lO, respectively.

.In the same manner as the ink ribbon core 22, a substantially L shaped second engagement piece 18H is formed ~ ., -~on the bottom wall 18 o~ the tape cartridge 10 to prevent .~,10 unintentional rotation of the ribbon winding core 24. The econd engagement piece 18~ ormed by cutting part of the bottom wall 18 of the tape cartridge 10 (hatched portion .:.designated a~ Y in Fig. 3). When the tape cartridge 10 i8 ;, j'lnot set in the tape printing device 1, a free end of the , .
~econd engagement piece 18~ is po~itioned inside the circum~erence of the bottom fitting aperture 18G and engages with one of the ~ix ~econd engag.ing elements 24A formed on the lower ~nd of the ribbon ~inding core 24. The ribbon ;Z~winding core 24 i~ ~hereby not rotated in such a direction a~
'~ to slacken the ink ribbon R wound thereon. The fre~ ends o~
-.~
~the first engagement piece 18D and the second engagement ./pi~ce 18H are r~pectively positioned not to be perpendicular ~, ~but to be inclined to the fir~t and second engaging element~
s l . .22~ and 24A. This pr~vents the ink ribbon core 22 and ~he ribbon winding core 24 from rotating in undesirable direc~ions as de~cribed abo~e. The ribbon winding core 24 r~Zadily , ",dj ~.;;rota~es in a normal winding direction of the ink ribbon ~.
;,, .
: . ~
.-,:,, ! 3~-21-, " ~
j~j3 ., ~

, 7 r~
.``. .
: Engagement o~ the first engaging element 22A of the ink : ribbon core 22 with the fi.rst engagement piece 1 8D and that ~ ~, of the second engaging element 24A of the ribbon winding core 24 with the second engagement piece lBH effectively prevent the ink ribbon R from undesirably slackening while the tape cartridge 10 is not set in the tape prin~ing device 1. The .i , engagement is released when the tape cartridge 10 i~ set in the tape cartridge holder unit 50A. The rel~asing procedure i9 described later with a typical structure of the tape cartridge holder unit 50A.
The ink ribbon R wound on the ribbon winding core 24 is a th~rmal transfer ribbon having a predetermined width corresponding to the width of the tape T used for printing.
In the embodiment, a 12 mm wide ink ribbon R iS used for 6 15mm9 9 mm, and ~ mm wide tape~ T as i~hown in Fig. 6, a 18 mm wide ink ribbon R for a 18 mm wide tape T (not shown), and a 24 mm wide ink ribbon R for a 24 mm wide tape T a9 ~hown in Fig. 7.
When the width of the ink ribbon R is equ~l to the ~;~ height of the tape cartridge 10 (see Pig. 7)~ khe top wall 16 and the bottom wall 18 of the tapP cartridge 10 guide the ink ribbon R. No additional flange is thus required on th~
~'x .circumference of the ribbon winding core 24 for controlling and adjusting a winding position of the ink ribbon R. When the width of the ink ribbon R is smaller than the height of the tape cartridge 10, on the other hand, a flange 24C is formed on the circumference of ~he ribbon winding core 24 to ~, -22-r ;}

.......
.,.` i ,;,;;`~J
'1 ` '' `~;

2 ~ 7 4 ~, ..
guide the ink ribbon R to go through a prin-ting po~ition of the platen 12. The ~lange 24C is formed in a certain size corresponding to the width of the ink ribbon R.

~., In the embodLment, there are tape cartridges 10 of five `5 different sizeC3 corre~ponding to -~he width of the tap~ T as ~ described above. Since a printable area of the tape T

;'3 differs according to the width of the tape T, a variety of condition setting procedures are required. The tape printing .,, device 1 detect~ tha 3ize o~ the tape cartridge 10 and automatically e~ecutes required setting, thus making the user `::
free from troublesome setting. The tape cartridge 10 of the ; embodiment has ~irst through third detection holes 18Ka, 18Kb, and 18Kc formed on the bottom wall 18 corre~ponding to `.`!, the size of the tape T a~ shown in ~igO 4. Namely, depths of i;, 15 the three detection holes 18Ka, 18~b, and 18Rc are changed , i according to the width of the tape T accommodated in the tape ~;~ cartridge lOo .:
~ Fig~ 8 ~how~ a relation~hip between the width of the -' tape ~ accommodatQd in the tape cartridge ~O and the depths ;i~~ of the three detection holes 18Ra, 18Rb/ and 18Kc~ As shown ,, in Fig. 8, the fir~t detection hole 18Ka i~ formed shallow and the second and third detection hol~s 18Rb, 18Rc o~ the tape cartridge 10 are formed deep for a 6 mm wide tape. The first and third detection holes 18~a, 18Kc are formed deep for a 9 mm wida tape; only the third detection hole 18Kc is deep for a 12 mm wide tape; and the first and second detection holes 18Ra, 18Xb are deep for a 18 mm wide tape.
,~

~ 23-.;,~ .
,~
.
.'~, ",~
:: 1 2 :1~ 7 1 ~ 6 .
~nly ~econd detection hole l8kb i5 formed deep for a 24 mm wide tape. Since the size of the tape cartridge lO i~
j;designated a~ a combination of the depths of -the three ,i.,~
detection holes l8Ka through l8Rc, the user can also check the ~ape cartridge lO with eyes.

The tape cartridge lO thus constructed is set in ~he tape cartridge holder unit 50A of the tape printing device l.
The tape printing device l include~ an extension unit 50E for connecting variou~ pack~ optionally supplied as external memory elements, the input unit 50C, and a control circuit uni.t 50F for controlling the display unit 50D and the printer unit 50B as shown in the cross sectional view of Fig. 9 taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. l.

The tape printing device l is also provided on a bottom ~:15 face thereof with a battery holder unit 50I for receiving six ; ~
SUM-3 cell~ working as a power source of the whole device l.
~he p~wer switch 50~ is mounted on the right sid~ wall of the tap~ printing device 1 Isee Fig. 2). Power may be supplied ~3 ~:from a plug 50N ~see Fig. 2~ formed on the right side wall o~
the device l to be connectable with an AC adapter (not 9hown)-.`,~r:
Mechanical constîtuents of the tape printing d~vice l are described hereinafter. Fig. lO is a plan view showing a typical structure of the tape car~ridge holder uni~ 50A, and Fig. ll is a perspec~ive view illustrating an es5en~ial structure of a driving mechani~m 50P for driving the platen i"
~312 and the other element~ by means of power of a stepping ,~
~, -24-" 'r"

~ ~77~
motor 80.
The tape cartridge holder unit 50A is dispo~ed in a left ~: upper position of a main body of the tape printing device 1 ,.
~, and defines an attachment ~pace coxre~ponding ~o the shape of the tape cartridqe 10 as shown in Fig. 10. The platen :.~
~. driving ~haft and the ribbon w:inding core driving ~haft , ..
~ respectively engaging with the hollow me~bers of the platen i ,,.
i~ 12 and the ribbon winding core 24 as well a~ the printing ~
head 60 are uprightly disposed in the attachment space o~ the .~: 10 tape cartridge holder unit 50A as shown in Fig. llr The tape ;' cartridge holder unit 50A is also provided on a lower portion / :l i~i thereof with the driving mechanism 50P for transmitting i - rotation of the' stepping motor 80 to the pla~en 12 and other : el2ments. The driving mechanism 50P dispo~ed below the tape -, .
~ 15 cartridge holder unit 50A is not observable even when -the , ~ i .~ cover 50k is openO Fig. 11 shows the driving mechani~m 50P
. when the inner ca~e of ~he tape cartridge holder unit 50A is i~ elimi~ated. ~he attachment 3pace of the tape cartridge holder unit 50A is covered with the co~er 50K while the tape ~, . ~ printing device 1 is in service.
,,:.i:
,i ~he tape cartridge 10 is attached to or replaced in the tap~ cartridge holder unit 50A while the co~er 50~ i~ open.
i,.,.~
Wh~n a slide button 51 (see Figs. 1 and 10~ disposed be~ore the tape cartridge holder unit 50A is slid rightward (in the :
drawing~, engagement of the cover 5QK with the main body of the device 1 is released, so that the cover 50R rotates around a cover hinge 54 mounted on a rear portion o~ the main .''~ , ~ -25-,.,~

-.

. ,."s 2:Ls~7'~1~6 '1 ~
body of the device 1 to be opened. A ~pring arm 52A
integrally formed with the ~lide button 52 engage~ with an engaging element of the main body of the device 1 to continuously apply a leftward (in the drawin~) pre~sing force ;~ 5 to the slide button 52.

When the cover 50R is openecl through operation of the ~lide button 52, the printing head 60 for printing the tape T
of the tape cartridge 10 i~ retreated to allow ~he tape cartridge 10 to be attached or detached. The printing head .
60 i~ rotatably mounted on a head rotating shaft 64 projected . from a ba~e board 61 a~ clearly seen in Fig. 11. The - printing head fiO include~ a head body 65 having a plurality . of heating dot~ elements, a radiator plate 65b holding the .~, head body 65 v.ia an in~ulator 65a, a frame element 67 for ~upporting the radiator plate 65b through a connection plate , ....
.-. 67a, a coil spring 66 pre~sing the printing head 60 in an ~ii ~- initial direction, and a flexible cable constituting an '3!
i electric wiring to the head body 65.

The printing head 60 i~ only roughly aligned with the .: ~ platen 12 in the tape cartridge 10 through attachment of the tape car~ridge 10 in the tape printing device 1~ N~nely, the ;. printinq head 60 i~ not alway~ in contact with the platen ~,..
.$: rubber 14 alonq the height of the platen 12 uniformly when , the tape cartridge 10 i~ ~et in the device 1. In the tape printing device 1 of the embodiment, the conne~tion plate 67a ~ J
i5 fixed to the frame element 67 via a pin b7b in~erted into an opening of the connection plate 67a~ and the radiator '~

..,~:, ,,,~.,,~j }

~ 21()77~6 -.
pla-te 65b holding the head body 65 is ~hus rotatable around .~the pin 67b. ~his allows the head body 65 to hold the tape T
between the platen 12 and the head body 65 and to be juniformly in contact wi~h the height o~ the platen 12 i~ 5 irrespective of the attachment conditions of the tape cartridge 10 with respect to the tape cartridge hold~r unit 50A when the printing head 60 i5 pressed towards the platen 12.
3,'~
A lower end of the frame element 67 is ~xtended to form ~ a link plate 62. ~he link plate 62 is po~itioned in a gear :- 10 train shown in Fig. 11, and has a free end positioned in the -;. vicinity of a boundary of the display unit 50D (see Fig. 10).

The free end of the link plate 62 holds one end of a coil ~ .i !spring 69 to connect a driving member 63 with the link plate .~;62. The driving member 63 having a substantially triangular -,15 shape has a fir~k end 63a holding the other end of the coil .'spring 69 and a second end 63b placed opposite to the cover 3150R as shown in Fig. 11. An operation arm 50S is extended ., . .,:~
?i.~iifrom the cover 50K to be positioned opposite to the second end 63b of the driving member 63, and pre~ses ~he second end 63b when ~he c~ver 50R is closed.
,' ! . .1 Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view schematically showing such a moYement described above, taken on the line XII-~II of Fig. 10. when ~he co~er 50K is pres~ed downward, the operation arm 50S presses the ~econd end 63b of the driving m~mber 63 downward, and the link plate 62 rotatingly moves rightward (in Fig. 11) via the coil spring 69, accordingly.
Such a rotating movement of the link pl~te 62 rotates the -27~
-":
.
~'','i~' `, . . :`:J

2 1 ~ 7 7 ~ G
, printing head 60 against -the pressing force of the coil spring 66. The printing head 60 thereby moves from its retreated position to a printing po~itîon facing the platen 12 of the tape cartridge 10 set in ~he tape printing device 1. When the cover 50~ is closed, the printing head 60 i~
i,~
~; accordin~ly shi~ted to the printing position. When the cover ~`~ 50R is opened, on the contrary, the printing head 60 is shifted to the retreated position to allow the tape cartridge 10 to be detached or attached. The printing head 5n once ~`1 lO retreated is kept in the retreated position by means of the ni coil spring 66 while the cover 50R i~ open, and goes back to ;;~ the printin~ po~ition to pre~s against the platen 12 when the ~ cover 50R is cl~sed.
-.,: .
As described previously, the first engagement piece 18D
and the second engagement piece 18H are ~ormed on the bottom wall 18 o~ the tape cartridge 10 to engage with the first engaging element 22~ and the second enga~ing element 24A ~o a~ to prevent uninten~ional rotation of the ink ribbon core .~. ~
22 and the ribbon winding core 24 (see Figs. 3 and 4)O The first engagemPnt piece 18D and the ~econd engagement piece 18~ are ~ormed respectively by cu~ting the parts of the bottom wall 1~ (hatched portions desi~nated as X and Y in ~ig. 3)~ ~he tape cartridge holder unit 50A has two cone-~haped contact projections 70A and 70B a~ a po~ition ~ubstantially in the middle of tha hatched portions ~ and Y
as ~hown i~ Fig. 10. When the tape cartridge lO is ~et in ~he tapa cartridge holder unit 50At the contact projections , ~'i.~

: '~

2:1~7'7~

70A and 70~ are fitted in the hatched portion~ X and Y of the bottom wall 18 o~ the tape cartridge 10 to press the fir~
and the second engagement pieces 18D and 18~ in a direction away from the first engaging element 22A of the ink ribbon core 22 and the second engaging element 24A o~ the ribbon winding core 24. This pressing movement releases engagement of the first and the second engagement pieces l 8D and 13 with the ink ribbon core 22 and the ribbon winding core 24, thus allowing the ink ribbon core 22 and the ribbon winding .i ,10 core 24 to rotate without any additional load.
iA transmi~sion mechanism for tran~mittiny rotation of the stepping motor 80 to a platen driving shaft 72 of the platen 12 is described in detail. As shown in Fig O 11 ~ a first gear 81 is attached to a rotational shaft 80A of the stepping motor 80, and a clutch arm 80B engage~ with the j ~rotational shaft 80A with predetermined friction. ~he clutch : iJ
arm 80B, together wi~h a second gear 82 and a third gear 83, 3 constitutes a one-way clutch, When the stepping motor 80 is rotated in a dir~ction shown by the arrow C in Fig. 11, the ~;~~ friction between the rotational shaft 80A and the ~lutch arm :~' 80B rotates the clutch arm 80B with the second gear 82 in the ~i ~;jdirections shown by the arrow C to engage with the third gear 83. Rotation of the stepping motor ~0 i~ thus transmitted to the third gear 83. Functions of the one-way clutch will be further described later.
Rotation of the third gear 83 is then transmitted to a fifth gear ~5 and a si~th gear 86 via a fourth gear 84 .~
.-2 9 -' j~ 2:1~7'~
r~lthrough repeated gear-down operation. A rotatlonal shaf-t of the fifth gear 85 is connected to a ribbon winding core ,~driving shaft 74 to wind the ink ribbon R according to .rotation of the stepping motor 80. A rim 74A actually ~i5 driving ~he ribbon winding core 24 is attached to the ribbon ~.. .
~iwinding core driving shaft 74 with a predetermined friction.

Under normal operating conditions, the rim 74A rotates with the ribbon winding core driving shaf~ 74 rotated by the ~ . ~
~.~istepping motor 80. When the ribbon winding core 24 is made .;, ~.~,10 unrotatable, for example, due to completion of wind~ng of the i`!''"~ink ribbon R, on the other hand~ the rim 74A slip~ again~t ~,rotation of the ribbon winding core driving sha~t 74.

Rotation o~ the si~th gear 86 is further transmitted to ~,a seventh gear 87 to rotate the platen driving shaft 72. The platen driving shaft 72 has a rim 72A which engages wi~h the "~ ~
inner surface of the platen 12 to rotate the platen 12.

Ro~ation of the stepping motor 80 ~ransmitted to the third gear 83 ~y means of the one-way clutch finally rotates the platen driving shaft 72 and the rihbon winding core driving shaft 74, accordingly. The tape T held b~tween the platen rubber 14 on the circumference of the platen 12 and the head body 65 of the printing head 60 is thus continuously fed with progress of printing, and the ink ribbon R is w~und on the ribbon winding core 24 ~ynchronowsly with feeding of the tape T.
The platen driving shaft 72 has, on an outer surface thereof~ three engagement pro~ec~ions 72B which are formed at t`~

~ 30 ~i -', 2~.arl7~
the equal î.ntervals to engage with the engagement grooves 12A

formed on the inner surface of the platen 12. The ribbon '`.
winding core driving shaft 74 also ha~ three engagement . projections 74B which are formed at the equal intervals on an ~: 5 ou~er sur~ace thereof to engage with the engagement grooves . ,`
:~'......... 24B formed on the inner surface of the ribbon winding core ' 24. When the platen driving shaft 72 and the ribbon winding core driving shaft 74 are rotated at a predet2rmined rate by the stepping motor 80, the tape rr and the ink ribbon R are ~,:
. 10 respectively pulled by a predetermined amount out of the tape ;.;' core 20 and the ink ribbon core 22 to be overlapped with each other and go through the platen rubber 14 and the printing ~ ,-~l~ head 600 In the meanwhile, power supplied to the printing .
~ head 60 controls hea~ing of the dot elements on the printing ; ....
~, 15 head 60 to melt ink of the ink ribbon R corresponding to the . 3 heated dot ~lements. The melted ink is then thermally transferred to the tape T to complete printing on the tape T.

Aft2r printing, the tape ~ with the print i~ fed out from the ..~
tape cartridge 10 while the ink ribbon R used for printing i9 wound on the ribbon windiny core 24.
The tape T co~veyed with progress of printing is finally .~!.,1;
~ fed out o~ the tape outlet lOA dispo~ed on the left side wall ,;:
of the main body of ~he tape printing device 1. The tape T

~ wi~h the print is normally cut with a cutting mechanism ..~.3 ~ ~ (de~cribed later). There is, however~ a pos~ibility that the i;'`,'1 ~: u~er forcibly pulls out the ta~e T prior to cutti~gO Since the printing head 60 presses the tape T against the platen "': 3 .;i,:j~
j,, ~3 ~, .
. .

:
~ 7 7 ~ ~
~ rubber 14 of the platen 12 while the cover 50K i3 ClOBed, the `; forcible pull-out of the tape T makes the platen driving shaft 72 rotate. The gear-down operation and a certain ~; amount of retaining torque of the stepping motor 80, however, ~l 5 prevent rotation of the platen driving shaft 72 and the m ribbon winding core driving sha~t 74 in a conventional driving mechanism. The for~ible pull-out of the tape leads F,. ., ~`, to unintentional pull-out of the ink ribbon R, accordingly.
^~ When the tape T is cut with the cutting mechanism under ~uch i~' ~; 10 circumstances, the ink ribbon R i9 also cut undesirably.
This make~ the tape cartridge 10 unusable any more.
...
~ In the embodiment, the one-way clutch inclu~ing the ,!~ .', clutch arm 80~, the second gear 82, and the third gear 83 solves such a problem. When the user forcibly pulls out the 15 tape T, the platen dri~ing shaft 72 rotates with the platen 12 in the ~tructure of the embodiment. Rotation of the platen driving ~haft 72 is transmitted ~o the third gear 83 ~-; via the gear train to rotate the third gear 83 clockwi~e.
Rota~ion of ~he third gear 83 mak~s the ~econd gear 82 .j.,j~i, rotate. ~owever, ~ince the rotational shaft 80A of the stepping motor 80 is not rotated, a rotational ~orce of the third gear 83 presse~ the clutch arm 80B supporting the .... ,:~
second gear 82 to relea~e engagement of the ~hird gear 83 with the second gear 82. This results in s~parating the l ~ third throu~h seventh gears 83 through 87 from the stepping ~', .
motor 80 to allow the ribbon windîng core driving shaft 74 to rotate with rotation of the platen driving shaft 72 due to 21~7'7~i6 pull-out movement o~ the tape T. The rotation of the rihbon winding core driving ~haft 74 makes the ink ribbon R wound on the ribbon winding core 24 with pull-out of the tape T, thu~
"J, effectively preventing unintentional pull-out o~ the ink ., 5 ribbon R with the tape T. When the stepping motor 80 starts rotating, the clutch arm 80B is shifted again towards the . third gear 83 to engage the second gear 82 with the third ,-.3; gear 83. Since a free end of the clutch arm 80B is fitted in an opening 80C formed on a base 61 as shown în Fig. 11, the ~^ 10 movement of the clutch arm 30B is defined in a relatively ' `.1 .~ small range. This moving range i~, however, sufficient to make the clutch arm 80~ function as the one-way clutch.

,Z The tape T with the print fed leftward out of the tape ~: cartridge 10 is readily cut with the cutting mechanism, which is shown in detail in Figs~ 10 and 13~ Fig. 13 i~ a cros~
` j A; ~ j sectional view mainly showing the cutting mechani~m, taken on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 10. A cutter support shaft 92 protruded from a bottom face of the tape cartridge holder unit 50A holds a substantially L-~haped, pivotably movable tape cutter 90 and a ~pring 94. A resilient force of the pring 94 keeps ~he tape cutter 90 under such a condition that a clockwise rotational force is applied onto the tape cutter 90 as shown by the ~olid line in Fig. 13. With this :i~
clockwise rotational force, a left end 90~ of the tape cu~er 90 presses a cut~er button 96 upward. The left end 90A o~

the ~ape cut~er 90 i~ formed in a fork shape to receive a pin 96A mounted on a rear face of ~he cutter button 96. When the ...... .
~ -33-~ `

`I 21077~6 ; cutter button 96 i9 pressed downward, the left end 90A of the tape cutter 90 ~hifts downward, accordingly.

A right end 90B of the ~ape cutter 90 ha~ a movable ..
~; blade 98 for cutting the tape T, which is arranged at a ,i;i ~ 5 predetermined angle apart from a fixed blade 91 attached to a ....
; side face of the tape cartridge holder unit 50A. A shoulder`..:j 93A o~ a tape suppor-t finger 93 (see Fig. lO) i~ in contact ~, with a rear face of the riyht end 90B of the tape cutter 90.
,, The tape support ~inger 93 is pre~ssed against a feeding path o~ the tape T by a spring 95 aR ~hown in Fig. 10. When the tape cutter 90 rotates to shift the movable blade 98 towards ~;i ~ the ~ixed blade 91, the tape support finger 93 moves toward~
. .
;j~ the feedlng pa~h o~ the tape T. A flxed wall 97 lS d1sposed .;~
opposite to the tape support finqer 93 acro~s the feading t5 path of the tape T. The tape T 15 fl~ed between the tape support finger 93 and the fixed wall 97 prior to cuttin~ of the tape T by the movable blade 98 and the fi~ed blade 91.
Movement of the tape suppor~ finger 93 is detected by a detectlon swltch 99, whlch prevents prlntlng during the "~........................................................................ .
cutting operation of the tape T as described later.
The tape T is cut by pressing th~ cutter button 96 downward against the resilient ~orce of the spring 94.
When the cutter button 96 is pressed downward to rotate the tape cutter 90 counterclockwise (in Fig. 13), the movable blade 98 form0d on the right end 90B of the ~ape cutter 90 also rotates counterclockwise. The tapa support finger 93 and the fi~ed wall 97 ~ecurely hold the tape T therebetween, ,:, ., ~ , ",.~.~
; . . ,!
~1 2 ~ 7 1 ~
`::
~ and the movable blade 9fl is gradually overlaspped with the ;

~!fixed blade 91 to cut the -tape T.

.. Details of the input unit 50C, the display uni-t 50D, and the printer unit 50B incorporated in ~he tape printing device j5 1 are described below after brief clescription of an electrical : .
structure o~ the various units including the control circuit .`,unit 50F. The control circuit unit 50F constituted as a printed circuit board is installecl with the printer unit 50B
.:.
inmlediately below the cover 50Ro Fig. 14 is a block diagram .:'i10 schematically showing the general electric structure of the . .i various units. The control circuit unit 50F of khe tape printing device 1 includes a one-chip microcomputer 110 (hereinafter referred to as CPU) having a ROM, a RAM~ and input and output ports integrally incorporated therein, a mask ROM 118l and a variety of circuits functioning as interfaces be~ween the CPU 110 and the input unit 50C, the display unit 50D, and the printer uni~ 50B. The CPU 110 -~r' .r'i' connects with the input unit 50C, the display unit 50D, and the printer unit 50B directly or the interface circuits to , ,,.,.~.
'~ 5~''5j~ ~ control these units.
The input unit 50C has forty-eight character keys and fifteen functions keys, sixty-three keys in total, as showms in Fig. 15. The chsaracter keys form a so-called full-key ,.
. ;structure accordin~ to a JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards3 ~,:~ arrang~ment. Like a con~en-tional word processSor~ the inpu~
,~., :i ~;unit 50C has a commonly known shift key to avoid undesirable :increase in the number of keys. The f~snctions keys enhance j,,.~,l,, ~., -35-,~
,.-. ~ .
,.:i ; ,, i . ~ ,. .

. ~

` 2~077~6 che ab:ility of the tape prin-ting device l by realizin~ quick execution of various ~unctions for character input, editing, and print.iny.

. ;.
~.These character keys and the function keys are allocated ,`'''.JS to an 8x8 matrix. As shown in Fig . 14, sixteen input ports PA1 through PA8 and PCI. through ~C8 of the CPu llO are divided into ~roups, and the sixt.y~three keys of the input unit 50C are arranged at the re~pective inter~ections o~ the input ports~ The power switch 50J is formed independently of the matri~ key~ and connect~ with a non-maskable interrupt ,, .
NMI of the CPU llO. When the power switch 50J is operated, the CPU llO starts non-maskable interruption to supply or shut off the power.
An output from an opening/closing detection switch 55 ~or detecting opening and clo~inq of the cover 50K is input to a port PB5, 50 that the CPU llO interrupts to monitor the opening and closing conditions of the cover 50K. The opening/closing detection switch 55 detects the m3vement o~
the cover 50R according to a movement of an opening/closing detection switch engagement projection 55L (see Fig. 12) di3po~ed on an end of the cover 50K. When the opening~closing detection switch 55 detect~ opening of the cover 50K while the printing head 60 is driven, the CPu llO displays a predetermin~d error com~and on a main display elemen~ 50Da (see Fig. 16) of the display unit 50D and cut~ the power ;;;,., supply to the printer unit 5GB.

Ports P~, PM, and PL of the CPU llO are connected with a s . :
;
,.," .
. ~
' .`1 : 2~ ~)77~) . . .
head rank detection element 112 which adjusts a varied resistance of the prin-ting head 60 by means of a software.
The resistance of the printing head 60 iYignificantly varies '1according to ~he manufacture process, which changes a pow~r-~;s,5 supply time required for printing of a predetermined density.
The head rank detection element 112 measures the resistance ;of tSihe printing head 60 to determine a rank of the printing head 60 and se~ three jumper element~ 112A, 112B, and 112C o~
the head ran~ detec~ion element 112 based on the measurement ~X10 re~ults. The CPU llO then reads the conditions of the hsad ..... . .
;!,rank detection element 112 to correct a drlvlng tlme or heating ~mount of the printing head 60, thus effectively preventing the ~aried density of printing.

~;Since the printer unit 50B implements thermal ~ran3~er ,,;.~
printing, ~he densi~y of printing vari~s with a temperature and a driving vol~age as well as the power-supply tIme of the thermal printing head 60. A temperature detection circuit 60~ and a voltage detection circuit 60B respectively detect the temperature and the driving voltageO These circuits 60A
~,~~ and 60B are integrally incorporated in the printing head 60 and connect with two-channel analog-digital conversion input ;J`' '"' ports ADl and AD2 of the CPU 110. The CPU 110 reads voltages input and converted to digital isignals through the input ports ADl and AD2 to correct the power-~upply time of the .;. ...
~ ~ printing head 60.
"
A discriminating switch 102 disposed on a right lower .. :-. . .
i corner of the tape cartridge holder unit 50~ (see Flg. 10) lS

. ~ ~
~ -37 ,:,. , . .j:, -,"
^
. .
.:

~ ~ 2 1 0 7 ~ 4 ~
. ~ .
connected wlth port~ PBl through PB3 of the cPu 110. The di.scrimlnating ~wi-tch 102 include~ three cartridge discriminating switch elements 102A, 102B~ and 102C respectively ~`~ inserted into the three detection holes 18Ka, 18Xb, and 18Kc formed on the tape cartridge 10. Projections o~ the cartridge discriminating switch elements 102A, 102B, and 102C are ~,ji ~ designed according to the depths of the detection holes 18R
~,.`1 formed on the bottom wall 18 of the tape cartridge 10. When ~ the cartridge discriminating switch element 102 is inserted !',~,'~ 10 in a shallow detection hole 18K, the cartridqe di~criminating ~ switch element 102 is in con~act with and pre~sed by the , , detection hole 18K to be turned ON. When the cartridge discrLminating .switch element 102 is inserted in a deep ~- detection hole 18R, on the other hand, the cartridge discriminating switch element 102 i~ loosely fikted in the detection hole 18R to be kept OFF. The CPU 110 dekermine~
the type of the tape cartridge 10 ~et in the tape cartridge holder unit 50A, that is, the width of the tape T accommodated in the tape cartridge 10 according to conditions of the three cartridge discriminating switch elements 102A, 102B, and 102C
of the discriminating switch 102. Tape wldth lnformation representing the width of the tape T is used for determining .. :.
~' a printed character siæ~ and controlling the printer unit 50B
: ,'.
, ~described later).

~i~ ~ A port PB7 of the CPU 110 receives a ~ignal from a contact of the plug 50N~ Whlle the plug 50N recelves dlrect ~ current from an AC adapter 113 through insertion of a ~ack -:3 ,,1 .l -38-." :, . ~

,, .. 1 , 7 7 ~ (;
. .
: 115, power ~upply from a ba-t-tery BT ~,o a power uni-t 114 is cut by means of a braking contact to avoid power consumption .~ of khe battery BT. In the meantime, a ~ignal output from the contact on the plug 50N is input to the port PB7 of the CPU
~`!
110. The CPu 110 reads the signal to determine whether power .~
~.~ is supplied from the AC adapter 113 or the battery BT and , f e~ecute requlred controls. In the embodiment, when powPr i5 supplied from the AC adapter 113, a printing speed of the printer unit 50B is ~et at a maxim~lm value. When pow~r is supplied from the battery BT, on the other hand, the printing ....
~ speed of the printer unit 50B i9 slowed down to reduce an x:
~ electric current p~ak supplied to the printing head 60 and . ..
save power of the battery BT.

The sixteen mega-bit ~ask ROM 118 connected to an addre~ bus and data bus of the CPU 110 stores four different ~`; fonts of 16x16 dots, 24x24 doks, 32~32 dots, and 48x48 dots.

The mask ROM 118 stores alphabetical ~ypes such as elite, , ,!:
~, pi¢a, and courier as well as Chinese characters and other "' ~ '1 specific characters and symbols required in khe respective countries. A 24 bit addre3s bus AD, an 8 bit data bus DA~ a chip ~electing signal CS, an output enabling signal OE of the ~ ...
mask ROM 118 are connected with ports PD0 through PD33 of the CPU 110. These signals are also input to an external input/output connector 50Ea to allow the extension unit 50E
..-~
~-~ ~ attached to the ax~ernal inputtoutput connector 50Ea to be .., i accessible in a similar manner to the ~a~k ~3M 118.
!~ ' ', ~. The ex~ension unit 50E directly connectable with the "I
, ~.,, -3g-.
;,~;~, ' : ~

2 1 ~ 7 1 ~
. ., control ci.rcuit unit 50F receive3 a ROM pack or RAM pac]c optionally ~upplied as an e~ternal memory element. rrhe control circuit unit 5OF is electrically connected with -the external input/output connector 50Ea through insertion of the S ROM pack or RAM pack into a slot of the exten~ion unit 50E, ~o that information i~ tran~mittable between the CPU 110 and ;~. the ~OM pack or R~M pack. The ROM pack inserted in th~
,~j1 exten~ion unit 50E may ~tore specific charact~r~ and symbols ~. for drawing3, maps, chemistry, and mathematics as well as ... ;'l 10 linguistic ~onts other than ~nglish or Japanese, and character ~onts such a~ Gothic and hand-writing type ~aces so as to . .,i allow editinq of a desirable serie~ of characters. The battery backed~up RAM pack which information is freely written in may alternati~ely be in~erted in the extension unit 50E~
The RAM pack stores a greater amount of information than a . .
m~mory capaclty of an lnternal RAM area of the tape prlntlng device ~o create a library of printing characters or to be used for information exchange with another tape prin~ing device 1.
~I.'.,j~
Character dot data read out of the mask ROM 118 or the ..3 , extension unit 50E are input to an LCD controller 116A of a " .^,~
~ display control circuit 116 as well a~ the CPU llOo .... ~ .
The display unit 50D controlled by ~he CPU 110 via the display control circuit 116 is laid under ~ transparen~
portion of the c~ver 50~. ~he user can thus see the di~play ~ unit 50D through the co~er 50K. $he display unit 50D has two -~ different elec~rode pattern~ on a liquid-crystal panel; that -;.
..i ; ::, ;~
"~

.., ~ 2~.~7'7~i - lg, a dot matrix pattern of 32(heiqht) x 96(width) dot~ and . ~
twenty eigh-t pentagonal electrode pat-tern~ ~urrounding the do~ matrix pattern, a~ shown in Fig. 16. ~n area of the do-t ~, i1 '., matrix pattern is designated as a main di~play element 50Da for displaying a printing imzge while an area of the pantagonal electrode patterns is re~erred to a~ an indicator element . 5ODb.
,c .
The main di~play element 50Da i5 a liquid cry~tal di~play panel allowing a display of 32 dots in height x 96 ~,, dot~ in width. In the embodiment, ~ince a character font o~
15 dot~ in height ~ 16 dots in width i~ u~ed for character ~., ',,d:" input and editing, a di~play on the main di~play element 50Da :. .
~ include~ six characters g ~wo lines. Alternatively, the main ,, :, display element 50Da may include four lines of letters when only an alphabetical font is used. Each character is shown as a positive di~play, a negative di~play, or a flickering display according to the editing process.

The display on the dot-matri~ main di~play element 50Da controlled according to the requirement. For example~ a layout of a printing image may be displayed after a certain ,, ~.
key input operation. When the user instructs display of a ,, layout~ as shown in Fig. 17, a tape width i.s shown a~ a negative di~play and a series of printing characters are displaye~ in white, where each dot of the main display element 50Da corre~pond~ to 4~4 dots in printing. A whole . length of the tape is displayed numerically a~ ~upplemen~ary information of the printing Image~ When the layout of the , ~ .
r: . i ~ ` 2'L~77~) printing image i~ larger than the area of the main display element 50Da, the whole layout may be observed and checked through vertical or horizontal scroll with cursor keys operation.
The indicator element 50Db surrounding the main display element 50Da displaysi a variety of functions executed by the ~! tape printing device 1. Di~play el,ements t each corresponding to a pen~agonal electrode pattern o f the indicator element 50Db repre~ent a variety of functions and conditions printed ,. ..
around the pentagonal pattern~ of the display unit 50D.
These functions and conditions include a character input mode such as ~romaji~ (Japanese in Roman characters) or 'small letter', a printing and editing style such as 'line number' and ~keyline bo~, and a print format like ~justification' or 'left-weight'. When a function or a condition is e~ecuted or selected, the di~play element corresponding to the function ;:.
or condition lights up to inform the userO

~ The printer unit 50B of the tape printing device -~ includes the printing head 60 and the stepping motor 80 as . . .
~- mechanical constituent~, and a printer controller 120 for controlling the mechanical constituents and a motor driver ;j~ 122 asi electrical con3tituents. The printing he~d 60 is a thermal head having ninety-six heating point~ arranged in a `i column at a pitch of 1/180 inch, and internally provided with . the temperature detection circuit 60A for detecting the ^; ~ temperature and the voltage detection circuit 60B for detecting , . .~j the ~upply voltage as de~cribed previously. The stepping motor 80 regulates a rotational angle by controlling a pha~e .~,....
.-:~ .
'.~,:1 ::':'1 --., ~1 ,".,.~
: ,. i :~ 2~g~7~i of a four-pha~e driving signal. A -tap~ :eeeding amoullt of : .
:~ each ~-tep by the stepping motor 80 is set equal to 1/360 inch ~ according to the structure of the gear trai.n functioning a~ a ~:.
. reduction gear mechanism. The stepping motor 80 recei~es a .' 5 two-step rota~ion ~ignal synchronou~ly with each dot printing executed by the printing head 60. The printer uni~ 50B
thereby has a printing pitch of 180 dot~/inch in the longitudinal .,. i., ~s di.rection of the tape as well as the direction of the tape .~ width.
.
-....... 10 A detection switch 99 for detecting operation of the :,.;
cutting mechani~m is connPcted to a common line of connecting signal lines between the printer controller 120, the motor dri.ver 122, and the CPU 110 a~ show~ in Fig. 14. When thQ
"., .-... cutting mechanism is driven durinq printing opPration, the . .
.~;` 15 detection switch ~9 detect~ operation of the cutting mechanism i~. and inactivate3 the pxinter unit 50B. Since signals are , ~
~ continuously sent from the CPU 110 to the printer controller .-. 120 and the motor driver 122, printing may, however, be .- continued after ~he u~er interrupts to u~e the cutting ~ ~ mechani~m .
, . .~
~. : Ac~uation of the cut~ing mechani3m during a printing -. i ~- proces~ interfere~ with normal feedin~ of the tape T. The ~5 detection switch 99 of the embodiment is thus directly ~ JI
connected with ~he common line of ~he motor driver 122 ~o forcibly cut the power off ~o as to immedia~ely stop the printing proce~s or more specifically the tape f2eding. In an alternative struct~re, an ootput of the detection switch ~.

2~0774~
, .
'~ )9 may be inpu-t to the CPU 110, and the printer unit 50B is inacti~ated according to a software as is the case o~

-~; untimel.y opening of the cover 50~. The detection switch 99 ~. may be replaced by a mechanical structure which presses the ,. ..
clutch arm 80B according to the movement of the movable blade 98 to prevent rotation of the stepping m~tor 80 from being transmitted to the platen driving ~haft 72.

Tha tape printing device 1 :is fur~her provided with a power unit 114, which receives a stable back-up or logic ; lO circuit 5V power from the battery BT by an RCC method using -~. an IC and a tran~former. The CPV 110 includes a port PB4 for -regulating the voltage.
The tape printing device 1 of the emhodiment has a ;. margin setting function for se~ting specified lengths of left 7,,j 15 and right margin~ before and after a series of printing , ..`.J
character~ as shown in Fig. 18. The margin ~etting function is realized by a left margin tape-feeding phase control ,iq~, signal output prior to tran~mi~sion of 96 bit serial printing ~:'?~ data and a right margin tape?-feeding phase control si~nal ~, . ,~ ~ o~tput after transmission of all the ~arial printing data.
When a ~pecified length of the left margin is smaller than a predetermined distance between a printing position and a -tape cut pos?ition lles~ than 8 mm in the embodiment), the specified , ~ length of the left margin can not be se~. In such a ca~e, ~ a j while the tape T is f~d by a speci~ied length of the right .i? margin after completion of printing, a cut mark PCM is printed when the printing head 60 is positioned before a .. , -44-. ,~

:~ , '' t ' 1 ?

2 i ~3 7 1 ~
~ubsequent printing position by the ~pecified length of a sub~equent left margin. The u~er can cut -the -tape T fed out ~, ~
of the tape cartridge 10 at the position of the cut mark PCM.

Labels having a desirable length of the left margin are obtained by such a simple process.
: ' -The internal ROM of the CPu 110 stores a variety of progr~ms for controlling the peripheral circuits. The inkernal . .
RAM of the CPU 110 includes a first part designated a~ a ~,system~ area used for execution of the variety of programs ~-10 stored in the internal ROM and a ~econd part defined as a user's area including a text area for character editing and a file area for storing contents of the textu The te~t area receives 125 character~ of fi~ed input at the maximum, and store~ character codes as well as style data and m~de data u~ed for editing the ch~racters. The memo~y ,~, i~contents in the te~t area may be supplemented or updated according to character inpuk and editing operation.

The internal RAM has a file area of 1~500-character :
capacity while the optionally supplied RAM pack has a file area o~ 2r000-character capacity, The file area stores and manage~ a ma~imNm of 99 variable length files having ID
numbers of 1 through 99 according to a ~ile management ;,,.,-.
~-~program stored in the internal RO~. The file management program is also used for basic operations such as file register and file delete~

characteristic control f~r printing a plurality of lines e~ecuted by the control circuit unit 50F thus constructed ~x ' , ;~i ~i . - ~

2 ~
,.
,~, .s explained below.
;?j ~., The tape printing device 1 of the embodiment includes four different font data of 16x16 dots to 48x48 dots as basic ~onts in the mask ROM 118 as shown in Fig. 19. In each font, the height and the wid~h are respectively e~pandable hy ,,.,:~
i`x~l two times and four times. There are thu~ ten pos~ihle ~ combinations of printable dots or fonts includinq the maximum .,~ ., font of 96x192 dots as shown in Fig. 19~ When a series of ;'',`.3, characters are printed in a plura].ity of lines, specification o~ the fonk for printing characters on each line :is required . as well as input of characters to be printed on the line.
.'j In the embodiment, there is a speci~ic mode for ., .. ii inputting a rel'ative size of characteri to be printed on each ,, ,j .
line through key operatlon of the input unit 50C, instead of directly specifying the character font. For ex~mple, in `~,~i !
three-line printing, the character size is relatively large on the first line and the second line, and relatively small on the third line. The tape printing device l of the ~3~
1~ embodiment is further pr~vided with a simpler mode, wherein ;~ ~ the user selects an optimal combination of rela~ive character ~izes out of a plurality of standard combinations, and the . . -:..
~ device 1 then determine~ a nu~ber of dots in an actual font .. . ,;;~
according to the width of the tape set in the device 1 a There are five options for three-line printing as shown in !~
~ ~ Fig. 20; that is, (1) same character size x3, (2) small~
,,.~.",1 ~ small~ large, (3) small, large, large, (4) large, small~

~;
small, and (53 large, large, small. The user selects one of i;, ~
. ;.!

:', ':

: 2~77~
;he~e five options instead of inputting the relative character size of each line. Although design and ornamental e~fects may be sacrificed, there is still a sîmpler 'Auto' mode which automatically sets an identical character size for each line.
!~5 The device 1 of the embodiment also has ~ manual mode wherein the user manually determines a dot number of characters ."
~printed on each line. In this manual mode, the user ~hould i~
confirm that a total dot number of plural lines is within 96 -in the direction of the height.

10When the user presses a ~Print~ key of the input unit 50C after complPtion of the whole input operation, the CPU

110 ~tarts a plural-line printing routine shown in the , . .
; ~lowchart of Fig. 21. When the program enters the plural-line - printing routine, the CPU ll0 first reads printing information at steps Sl00 and Sll0. ~ore concretely, the CPU ll0 reads ,~, ., relative character sizes of plural lines selected prior to a printing in~truction a~ step Sl00, and then reads a detection signal of the cartridge discriminating swi~ch l02 at step Sll0. ~t ~tep Sl20, the CPU ll0 determines the width of a tape T currently set in the tape printing device l based on detection of the cartridge discriminating ~witch 102, and determines a character font of each line based on the width of the tape T and the relative character 5ize of each line b~
referring to a font map previously stored in ~he internal ROM.
Fig. 20 ~hows an example of a font map used in three-line prin~ing. In this fon~ map, each combina~ion of ~;
~ ~47~

~:.
.
~, ,,.`~,~

!
`;~ 2 :~ ~ '7 i7 ~3 .. `. ~he tape width and the relative character size~ of three 1 lines determines a font used for printing each lin~. For . ., ~
:~ example, when the tape width is l2 mm and the relative sizes - are ~large, small/ small', the selected font is S for the ~, 5 first line and P for the second and the third lines. In i two-line printing, the font of each line is determined in the . same manner as above (its procedure is no~ described here).
~:.
After determination of the font for ~ach line, the -j program goe~ to ~tep Sl30 at which the CPU ll0 succe~ively reads the determined font corresponding to character codes ~ :, .i repre~enting a de~irable series of characters previously .input by the u~er, out of the mask ROM ll8. The CPU ll0 then e~pands the font to dot pattern~ at step Sl40, creates 96 bit .; ~erial data by extracting the dot patterns by every column, ~ 15 and transfers the ~erial data to the printer unit 50B at ~tep y~3 Sl50.

A~ previously described, the tape cartridge l0 shows the ;3 width of the tape T accommoda~ed therein as a combination of depth~ of the three detection holes l~Ka, l8Xb~ and l8~c formed on the bottom wall 18 of the tape cartridge l0. The ~; tape printing device 1 of the embodiment automatically determine~

the width of the kape T accommodated in the tape cartridge l0 1 ba3ed on three-bit infonmation output from the di~criminating ~ ~wi~ch 102 for detecting ~he depths of the detection holes :i ~ l8R.
....~
.-~. The tape printing device 1 of the embodlment thus automatically computes and determines specification of printed ~-~3 . .~

Il ~ i ~3 ~ 1~ 6 `,~
~; characters such as a character font llumber corresponding to ; the tape width. When the user simply instruct~ pri.nting `~. a~ter edition of a desirable series of characters, the tape ;; printing device l detects the width of the tape T currently .:
~ 5 set in the device 1, determines an optimal combination of .-; character fonts with predetermi.ned right, left, top, and bottom margins corresponding to the width of the tape T with its automatic setting function, and executes printing.
:; 1 .. ' The tape cartridge lO and the tape printing device 1 o~
~ .
-. 10 the embodiment make the user free ~rom troublesome management 1~-of a plurality of tape cartridges having tapes of di~ferent widths therein. The tape printing device 1 can produce a desirable label with an optimal character font corresponding to the tape width without requiring complicated specification ~ 15 of the character font.
An example of modification of the embodiment is yiven below. Although the ~ype of the tape cartridge 10 is detected according ~o thQ depths of the three detection holes 18R in the abo~e embodLment, a magnetic detec~ion mechanism -may be applicable instead of the structure of the embodimentO
In the magnetic detec~ion mechanism, a ~aynetic detection element detect~ existence and non-existence of ~agnets. In this modified structure, the three datection holes 18~a, 18Rb, and 18~c shown in Fig. 4 have identical depths to receive small permanent magnets Mg~ respectively. As shown in Fig~ 22A, each discriminating switch element 102 has a all element to allow detection of magnetic information. In ~,., ,~, . ;., ~ :~,q, s .
. . ;
.,, :,j 7 4 (~

. the comhination show~l in Fig. 8, IS (shallow)' and ~D ~de~p)' i;
~hould respec~ively be replaced by 'Magnet' and ~Non magnet~.
This modified structure effectively detect~ the type of the `' tape cartridge a~ in the structure of the fir~t embodiment.
.~, :. 5 Discrimination of the cartridge 10 may be implemented ! optically. Fig . 2 2B shows an exemplified structure of . optical identi~ication where a bar code label 10Z applied on each car~ridge 10 is scanned opti.cally by an optical xeader 102Z. The type o~' the cartridge 10 i~ identified by reading an output of the optical reader 102Z via a port. Since `; identification of the cartridge doe~ not require such a large~:;
.~ information capacity that each bar code generally contains, 1 ~lmpler optical scanning ~may be applied for the ~ame pu~po~e;
:. for e~ample, determining existence or non-existence of the li;, detection holes optically in~tead of mechanically as in the fîrst e~bodimentO In another application, cartridges 10 may re~pectively have di~tinct outer ~hapes different from one ~; another as cartridges 10Y shown in Fig. 22C to allow identification ba~ed on their outer ~hape~.
~:: ~ A second e~mbodiment of the invention is described ~s~
hereinafter. A tape cartridge 210 and a tape printing device 201 of the second e~bodLment have similar hardware structures to those of the fir~t embodiment excep~ the ~'ollowing elements ! `j shown in Fig. 23~
$ (1) The tape cartridge 210 has a one-chip micro-proce~.sor '~ 200 including a ROM, a RAM, an SIO (communication control ,1, element), an electrically erasable, programmable ROM

~, -50-.:,i :.
-~ ~
:';1 .~

~ '., ' ' ' ~ i` ' ' , ` ! , 0~7~1~

. (hereina~ter re~erred to a~ EEPROM ) .
(2) The tape cartridge 210 ha~ ~our con-tacts 218a, 218b, 218c, and 21~d in place o~ the three detection holes 18Ka through 18Kc of the first embodiment. Each contact 218 connects to serial communication terminals Sl and S2, an -/` earth terminal GND, and a power terminal VCC of the one-chip t```''~l micro-proces~or 200.
~ ,:
(3) The tape printing device 201 has ~our axially e~ten~ible contact pin~ 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D in place of the cartridge discriminating switch 102 of the first embodiment. Each contact pin 202 i9 connected to seri.al communication ports Sl and S2 of a CPU llOa, an earthing line, and a power line ~rom a power unit 114 when the tape ~;~ cartridge 210 is set in the tape printing device 201.
When the tape cartridge 210 is set in a tape cartridg~
~: holder uni~ 50A, the contact pins 202A through 202D of the . tape printing device 201 are brought into contact with the contacts 218a through 218d of the tape cartridge 210. The one-chip micro-processor 200 then receives power supplied ~rom the power unit 114 to e~ecute a program previously tored in the internal ROM. The CPU llOa of the tape printing device 201 and the one-chip micro-processor 200 of the tape cartridqe 210 are connected to each other to allow serial communication.
~'/`''~1~
The CPU llOa of the tape printing device 201 e~ecutes a ~; communication process routine shown in FigO 24A through a ,,,.:;., ;.
..,,, ~>
.

2 :1 0 7 7~ ~

imer interruption genera-ted by arl internal timer at ; predetermined time interval~. When the program enter~ the ~ communication process routine, the CPU llOa determine~ whether -l it detects a response from the one-chip micro-proce~or 200 5 of the tape cartridge 210 at step S220. When no response is detected at step S220, it is presumed that the tape cartridge : `,1 .
210 is not ~ubstan~ially or accurately set in the tape ~; cartridge hold~r unit 50A. In such a case, tne program goes to step S230 at which a flag Fte is set equal to one, and then exits from the routine via NEXT. The flag Fte represents . .
i, in~ufficient setting of the tape cartridge 210.
:; ~
-~i When the CPU llOa detects a re~ponse from the one-chip 'J. 1~,', ~,','3 micro-procesior 200 at step S220, the program goe~ to step ~' S240 at which the CPU llOa reads a password PW previously set ,. :!
j' 15 in the one-chip micro-processor 200~ The pas~word PW con~ist~
~ 1 of four or more alphabetical letters and figures and is set when the CPU llOa o~ the tape printing device 201 tran~fer~
data input from an input unit 50C to the one-chip micro-processor 200 according to another process routine (not shown). At i,;i,,,l ~ ~ ~tep S240, th~ one-chip micro-proces~or 200 transmits data ,. ~,, ~,} specified by the password PW through serial communication.
When no pas~word PW is set previou~ly, vacant data is , ~31~ transferred.
he CPU llOa then reads tape width data corre~ponding to ~, ~ a width L of a tape T pre~iously stored in the ona-chip micro-proces~or ~00 of the tape cartridge 210 at step S2500 .j., The CP~ llOa does not read information representing a type of ~$
.~.,.~

2 l O 7 '~
the tape cartridge 2l0 but directly read~ the tape width data. This ~tructure~ allows the tape printing device 201 to be applicable to tapes T of any po~sible width other than tape~ of predet~rmined widths acco~nodated in the tape cartridges S 210 previously manu~actured.
At step S260, the CPU llOa reads data of a residual tape . length Q out of the one-chip micro~processor 200. The residual tape length Q represents the length of the tape T
.remaining in the tape cartridge 210 and is updated by the tape printing device 201 through a post-printing proces~
(described later). After execution o~ step S260, the program e~its from ~he routine via NEXT.
A pre printing routine executed by the CPV llOa of the tape printing device 201 is described according to the flowchart o~ Fig. 24B. This pre-printing routine is executed ~: immediately before e~ecution of a printing proces~ by the tape printing device 201. At step S300, the CPU llOa determines whether the pas~word PW iB previously set. The password PW represents data read from ~he tape cartridge 210 at step S240 of Fig. 24A when the tape cartridge 210 is ~et in khe tape printin~ device 201. ~he CPU llOa determines setting of the password PW if the data read at ~tep S240 is not vacant. The program then goes to step S310 at which the ~is ~ user is required to input a password. ~ore concretely, a .' ~ display such as 'password?' on th2 display unit 50D asks the user to input a password.
The user inputs a pa~sword previou~ly set for the tape ~'~

~.3 .
,~

2 ~ ~ 7 '7 ~ ~i ~artridge 210 through the input uni.t 50C according to the ~:input requirement. At step S320, the CPU llOa compares the ;.input password with khe pas~word PW previously set in the :,tape cartridge 210. When the input pa~sword i~ identical `!`"'`,5 with the password PW, the CPUllOa determines that the user ~can use -the tape cartridge 210 currently set in the tape ...printing device 201. At step S330, the CPU llOa checks the ~^value of the ~lag FteO The flag Fte is set equal to one when the tape cartridge 210 is not accurately or substantially set in the tape prinking device 201 or when the residual tape ~'length Q reaches to zero. When the flag Fte is not equal to one, the CPU llOa determines accurate setting of the tape cartridge 210 and a sufficient ~mount of the re~idual tape length Q and e~ecutes a printing process such as the plural-line ,.....
printing routine shown in the flow~hart of Fig. 21.

When the input password is not identical with the pas~word PW at step S320 or when the flag Fte is equal to one at step S330, the program goe~ to ~tep S340 at which the CPU
llOa determines setting of a wrong tape cartridge 210 or ~' ~ inaccurate ~etting of the tape cartridge 210 and e~ecutes a .:
:aj predetermined error process. ~he error process includes output of an error m~s~age such as 'CAR~RIDGE ~PLA OE MENT
:R~QUIRED'. After the tape cartridge ~10 is replaced by a new ,~, .~ ,one, the CPU llOa e~ecutes the communication routine shown in :i J, ~ig. 24A again.

;~Fig. 25 is a flowchart showing a post-printing process vjrilroutine egecuted after completion o~ the printing process.

~ 54-`'~f ~::
~ :

2 ~L ~3 r;J r~

.~t ~tep S400, the CPu 110a calculates a leng-th G of the tape l-i T used in the printirlg proce~s (hereinafter referred to as ;;. the used tape length). The used tape length G i9 determined ! by counting a number of steps sent to the stepping motor 80 for feeding the tape ~.

At step S410, the used tape length G is subtracted from the res.idual tapa length Q. The program then goes to step S420 at which the current re~ldual tapa length Q updated at step S410 is transmitted to the one-chip micro-processor 200 of the tape cartridge 210. Since the tape cartri.dge 210 may he removed from the tape printing device 201 at any de~irahle time, the current residual tape length Q is written in the tape cartridge 210 immediately a~ter completion o~ the printing ~: proces~.

The program proceeds to ~tep S430 at which it is determined whether the updated residual tape length Q is ~ubstantially equal ~o zero. When a sufficient amount of the tape T remains in the tape cartridge 210, the program exits :,` 1 ~ from the routine. When the re~idual tape length Q is ~j .
substantially e~ual ~o ~ero, the program goes to step S440 at which the flag ~te is se~ equal to one and e~its from the ~,~": routineO
~i In ths structure of the second embodiment described abo~e, information on the tape cartridge 210 is set in the ".,,j ~: ~ EEPROM in the one-chip micro-processor 20G of the tape cartridge 210~ The tape prin~ing device 201 reads the information at any required time and update~ the information .. . .

.. ,~ .

., 2:'L~JI7rl146 :;
:: `
~ccording to the requirement. The ~EPROM s-tores updating -~ information such as the password and the residual tap~ length as well as essential information of the tape cartridge 210 such as the tape width. This structure allows idenkification of the user and required error processing according to the 'I residual tape length other than expansion of a font corre~iponding to the tape width.

A third embodiment of the invention isi described ..
~ hereinafter according to the drawings. A tape printing ~5~
'','5''. 10 device 501 of the third el~bodiment is applicable to tape~ of ~ .
~, five dif~erent widths, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 18mm, and 24mm like khe fir~t and the second embodiments. The appearance of the j, q ~ape printing device 501 i~ ~imilar to that of the first or the ~econd e~bodLment. Fiy. 26 is a functional block diagram 15 illustrating a general electric ~tructure of the tape printing device 5010 As shown in Fig. 26, the tape printing device 501 includes an input unit 510, a control unit 520, and an output :, .
~ uni~ 530 as in the case o~ a conventional data processing ,~:
;~ ~ apparatus. The control unit 520 executes required processing :-?~
--~ ba~ed on information ~rom the input unit 510 and activates rj~ the output unit 530 to display or print the results o~ the ,'jJ$ proce~sing.

The input unit 510 include~ a key input element 511 haYing a plurality of pre~s-down keys and dial keys (not .~ ! sih~wn in detail), and a kape width detection sensor 512. The ~ key input element 511 genera~es charac~er code data and `.~
j -56-... .

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2 ~. ~ 7 `~:
: ' .~.; var.iou~ control data sent to th~ control unit 520. The tape .; ~ .
;-; w.idth detection sensor 5l2 detects the width of a tape T
`r~
currently ~et in the tape printing device 501 and gives the tape width in~ormation to the control unit 5200 Each tape cartridge has a physical discrimination elemenk such as a plurality of holes for defining the width of the tape T
accommodated in the tape cartridge. The tape width detection sensor 512 read~ the phy~ical diRcrimination element ~o output the tape width informationu Details of this proces~ing are similar to those of the first embodiment and thereby not described here.
~' In the tape printing device 501 of the third embodiment, ,. .
,jJS ,i the key input element 5ll has a variety of margin setting ;.. ~
i~L keys for specifying left and right margins arranged before and after a series of characters printed on the tape T.

These margin ~etting keys may have other functions and be realized as complex-functional keys. The tape width information . , detected by the tape width de-tection sensor 512 is utilized as one determining factor for determining the left and right -,...~
margins~

The output unit 530 con~ists of a printing struc-ture and ~ ,j,, .
a display ~tructure. For e~ample; a tape and ribbon feeding motor 531 constituted as a s~epping mo~or feeds a tape (not a '~ ~ ~
~ I shown) and an ink ribbon (not ~hown) to a predetermined -.~-., ~ printing position or out of the tape printing device 501. A

thermal head 532 is fi~ed to implement thermal transfer ~-j printing onto a running tape. When the thermal head 532 ha~
~?~
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~ ~77~

~; nine-ty ~ix thermal resi~-tance elemen-t~ (hereinafter referred .
to a~ dot element~) arrarlged in a column, a maximum of 96 dots may be printed at once. The tape and ribbon feeding ' motor 531 and the thermal head 532 are respectively driven by .,, '.~J 5 a motor driving circuit 533 and a head driving circuit 534 ~.~ under control o~ the control unit 520. Desirable margins may . . .
`., be set in each label by controlling a tape feeding amount by ~ the tape and ribbon feeding motor 531 and a printing timinq i~;. of a front cut mark by the thermal head 532 as described ,:
later. A cutter (not shown) manually operated by the u~er or driven by the motor is used -for cutting the tape at a : desirable position. The cutter is naturally disposed a predetenmined ~p~ce apart from the thermal head 532 because of their physical dimensions. The predetermined space (~or 15 example, 8 m~ is taken into account when the margins are se~
on the tapeO

~ The output unit 530 of the tapP printing device 501 ;. further includes a liquid-crystal display 535 which ~hows . 3everal character~ of a minimum font o~ a plurality of line3.
i .~i .: ~ The liquid-crystal display 535 i~ driven by a display driving ,-.
circuit 536 under control of the control unit 520O During a margin length setting process, an image including margins ~; currenttly ~et i~ displayed on the liquid-crystal di~play 535.

The control unit 520, for example, realized as a ~, ~ micro c~mputer/ include~ a CPU 521, a ROM 522/ a RAM 523, a ~ j ~, character generator ROM (CG-ROM) 524, an input interface ~, ele~ent 525, and an output interface elem~nt 526, which are -.~., ~t.~ -58-'.':! ~
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2 ~n77~
connected to one another via a sy~tem bus 527.

The ROM 522 stores a variety o~ processing program~ and fi~ed data ~uch as dictionary data u~ed for conversion of Japane~e alphabsts into Chinese characters. For example, the ROM 522 ~tores a print format set-ting p.rogram 5~2a including a margin length setting process showm in the flowchart of Fig. 27 and a printing program 522b including a margin setting proce~s shown in the flowchart of Fig. 28. The ROM
~:522 further stores a default value 522c of a print format ~ ,.
.~.10 including marqin length~ (described later) as well as a margin conversion table 522d used for conv~rting relative ,;s :,j ~`~lmargin lengths to absolute value~.
i : , ~:f l :The RAM 523 used as a working memory stores fixed data obtained through input operation by the user. The RAM 523 includes a print format area 523a for storing a print format including ~argin lengths, a printing buffer 523b for expanding i a series of printing characters to dot~ and storing the dot~, a display buffer 523c for ~toring an image displayed for .`. ,' :~ . .
settlng margln lengths, a text area 523d for storing character data, and a previous right margin buffer 523e for storing a right margin length in previous printing.

.; ~
~The CG-ROM 524 stores a dot pattern of character~ and ,~ ., ymbols in the tape printing devica 501~ and outputs the dot pattern when receiving code data specifying certain ch~rac~ers and symbols. The control unit 520 may include two CG-ROMs, one for display and th~ other for printing.

_59_ : :, , ~
, .
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. .~ , ~,., The input interface element 525 ~unctions as an 1 interface between the input uni~ 510 and the control unit 520 ;
. while the output interface element 526 works as an interface 'n between the control unit 520 and the output unit 530.
The CPu 521 executes a required proce~sing program ;-,.`'. stored in the ROM 522 based on input s7ignals from the input ', .. ', unit 510 while using the R~M 523 as a working area and . .~.
',reading the fixed data stored in the ROM 522 and the RAM 523 according to the requirement. The CPU 521 then activate~ the ,10 output unit 530 to display processing conditions or re~ults :",',on the liqu~d-cry~tal di~play 535 or to print ~he ~ame on a .i,,tape.
;,'~,When a pxint format setting mode is specified through operation of the key input element 511, the CPV 521 start~
,,~:'. 15 the print format setting program 522a stored in the ROM 5220 Details of the proces73ing in the print format setting '~ mode e~ecuted by the CPU 521 are described according to the ~ flowchart of Fig. 27.
,A ~
~ When a print format setting button is pres~ed, the CP~
, ./~
,~ ~ ~ 521 ~tarts a print format setting routine of Fig~ 270 At ~ step S600, the CPU 521 reads infonmation representing a ,~7~ length of a label and a printing position of a series of ;. j characters on the label (hereinafter referred to as length -;.,' ' and position inEormation). The program then goes ~o step 5'd~
S~10 at which the CPU 521 determines the typ~ of the length and position in:Eormation.

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~ -60-:.i ;-, , .;
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2'L~37r7~;
~li In the tape printing device 501 of the third embod:iment, , ~rithe u~.er may specify the length of a label with a de~.irable J
print thereon. There are five modes of length-position combinations, that is~ 'standard', ~left-weight~, ~center "~
i~5 weight~, 'right-weight~, and ~justification'. In the 'standard~

.(mode, the user does not specify a label length. An effective ilength of the label is a total of a printing area and right r1and left margins specified as clescribed later. In the '~'left-weight' mode, a left margin of a desirable length is , first set from a front end of a label of a desirable length ~ispecified by the user. A printing area required for printing .i'a series of characters i~. then determined on the label. A

~right margin arranged after the printing area is a re~.idue of :the desirable label length. In the 'center-weight' mode, a printing area is set on the center o~ a label of a desirable ;~
~length specified by the user. Left and right margins are ~residues of the desirable label length arranged before and ~i~after the printing area. Speci~ica-tion of the left and right ..
~margins is not required in this mode. In the 'right-w~ight~
~i mode, a right ~argin of a de~.irable length is first set from a rear end of a label of' a desirable length specified by the user. A printing area requi.red for printing a series of `~characters is then determined on the labelO A left margin .i arranged before the printing area is a residue of the desirable label length. In the 'justification' mode, left ~.
~;and right margin~. of desirable lengths are respectively ~.et ~;on front and rear portions of a label of a desirable length .

~ 61-,^':j ~1 :`i $$ *~

`~ 2 ~ 7 ~ ~
:. .i ..
pecified by the user. A printing area :is then laid out on ~ i the re~idual center portion of the label and character~ are ~;~ set in the printing area with equal interval. For example,the user selects one of these five modes shown in a menu.
.~
When the 'standard~ mode is selected, the program yoes ~, to ~tep S602 at which the CPU 521 reads margin length .!
informa-tion, and -then proceeds to step s606 for reading other ~ .;
`~ format information required for setting a print format. When . .~
`~ any of the 'left-weight' mode, t]he 'right-weight' mode, and ,....
~ 10 the 'ju~tification' mode is selected, the program goes to ~ steps S603 and S604 where the CPU 521 ~uccessively read~
...~.
''r~ label ~ength information and margin length information, an~
;; ;...
'~ then proceeds to step S606 for reading other format information !~' '..',:!~
~~~ required. When the 'center-weight' mode is selected, the ; " ~1 program goes to step S605 at which the CPU 521 reads la~el length information, and then proceed~ to step S606 for reading other format information required~
In this embodiment, a margin length read at step SS02 or S604 is a relative value selected out of a menu b~ the user;
for e~ample, ~minimum~ mall~ r ~a~erage~, and ~large~. The margin length specified a~ a relative value is converted ~o an absolute value in printing prvce~s as described later Contents stored in the print format area 523a are also y~3 ~ ~hown in a firs~ menu displayed for inputting the above .,.f r~
information~ The default value 522c of the print fonma-t stored in the ROM 5 2 i~ set in the print format area 523a when a power ~witch i~ turned on.

,~ , ^
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1 2~ n77~

... .
When completion of the print format setting proc~ss is determined after reading of the other format information such ,,.,.j as a printing density at step S606, the program successively goes to steps S607, S608, and S609 at which the CPU 521 stores the current format infonmation in the print format ~, area 523a (updates the print format area 523a), updates the .,~.
print format set for a series of characters stored in the ~ ~ext area 523d, and returns to the state prior to in3truction '- of the print format ~etting process. The pro~ram then exits from the print format setting routine.
Fig. 28 is a ~lowchart ~chematically showing a printiny routine. The user may instruct printing at any desirable ? time as long as the text area 523d stores a series of characters with the currently set print format.
When a printing key is operated, the CPU 521 starts the printing program 522b shown in Fig. 28~ At step S620, it is deter~ined whethex the u~er has specified a r~lative mar~in length based on th~ format information stored in the text area 523d, that is, wheth~r the length and position information includes specification of the margin length. When the answer ~:; i9 Y~S, the program goes to step S621 at which the relative margin length is converted to an abso~ute value based on ~ape width information and the margin conversion table 522d.
` ~he tape width information may be read directly from the tape width det~ction sensor 512 at this moment, or alternatively read out of the RaM 523 which has previously received the tape width information from the tape width detection sPnsor 2 ~ 3 7 ~

,12 when the tape car-tridge i~ ~et :in the tape printing device 501. Conver~ion of the relative maryin length to the absolute value may be realized through operation without the margin conversion table 522d.
For e~nple, when the relative margin length is 'small', one fourth the tape width is determined as an absolute value of the margin length. When the relative margin length is i.' ' ~average~, half the tape width i~ detennined as an absolute .~, mar~in length. When the relative margin length i~ ~large~, the whole tape width is determined as an absolute margin .i ~ length~ When the relative margin length is 'minimum~, the .
absolute value i ~e~ equal to one millimeter irrespective of ;, 'i the tape width.
--J
When the length and position information doe~ not include specification of the margin length or when conversion of the relative margin length to the absolute value is completed, the program goes to step S622 at which the CPV 521 determines lengths of right and left margins and a printing area based on information including the length and position information, the absolute margin length, and a specified '~#~ label length. At step S623~ a series of characters in the ~; te~t area 523d are e~panded to dots in the printing buf~er 523b.
j~fj~
.~# ' The CPV 521 then determines whether printing is at a :
first time or a~ a second or subsequent time at step S624.

When this is first printing, the progr~n goes to step S625 at ~hich the tape is fed by a predetermined length before ,..,l.q ~ -64-.... .

. '. .'i ,' . . ! ~ ' ' ' , ' :'' print:ing. When this is ~econ~ or ~ubsequ~nt printin~, the program goes to step S626 at which a pre-print tape feeding proce~ is executed (the tape may be ox may not be fed) according to information representing a previous right margin length set in the previous printing. After printing the .;.
~ series of character~ at step S627 and feeding the tape by a ..;
~predetermined length after printing at step S62B, the progr~m i~ ~.,i `~ goes to ~tep S629 at which the CPU 521 returns to the state prior to operation of the printing key. The program then exit~ ~rom the printing routine.

, rrhe pre-print feeding and the post-print feeding are executed according to the length~ of the right and left ~,, margins determined at step S622 to set de~irable length~ of left and right margins on the label~ A front cut mark may be printed during the pre-print feeding process.

The fir~t printing denotes printing at a first time ;after the current tape cartridge i5 set in the tape printing device 501 or after the power of the tape prin~ing device 501 turned on. The second or subsequent printing denotes printing other than the above. Some trouble may occur due to the ~lack of the ink ribbon right after r~placement of the tape cartridge or by replacem~nt of the tape cartridge during power cut-off. The pre-print feeding proce~s for the first .~
printing i5 thereby different from that for the ~econd or subsequent printîng. Even in the ca~e of first printing as 1~
defined above~ when the tape has been fed manually irrespective of printing, the pr~-print feeding proces~ for the second or , ~
;~ ~ _55~

: 1' ".~.' .
, ~1~7'~
~;
suhsequent printing ~hould be executed. ~he manual tape ~eeding is implemented through speci~ic key operation by the ., : user (details are not described here)~

:. The rela~ionship between the tape feeding process and .
the margin arrangement i~ described for the post-print feeding process (step S628), for the pre-print feeding process in :, .,; first prin~ing (step S625), and for the pre-print feeding process .in second or subsequent prin~ing (step S626).

The po~t-print feeding and the pre p.rint feeding in second or subsequent printing are executed in such a manner ;~' as to minimize a waste length o~ the tape.
-.3 Post-print Feeding Process :,:
/~ The post-print feeding is conducted for setting a i~! desirable length o~ a right margin arranged after a printing j ' .
~ 15 area. This process is identical in first printing and in ,~3, second or subsequent printing~

~ Fig. 29 illustrates typical e~amples of the post-print ~",il feeding processO When printing a series of characters is concludedO a print end on the tape is placed at a position of the ther~al head 532 as shown in Fig. 29A. As an example, a ~:
~; desirable length ml of a righ~ margin is to be set on a label which is cut by a cutter 640. In this case~ the tape should be fed by a total of the right mar~in length ml and a ~ .
~ predetermined distance n (for example, 8 mm3 be~ween the .r ~i ; ~ ther~al head 532 and the cutter 640 as shown in Fig. 29B or .^l 29C. In the post-print feeding, the tape should be fed by !
. ,j , ...
,:; -66-:.
.

~ 1 , . .

2 i ~

the total length ml~n.
, .
When printing for a next label is conducted a~ter po~t-print feeding of the length ml~n, the predetermined ' distance n between the ~hermal head 532 and the cutter 640 .,j defines a left margin for the next label. This means that no pre-print feeding is required for the next le~t margin. In the embodiment, this pos~-print feeding process is adequately . .
~ modified according to information of a left margin lenyth mO
~., for the previous printing so as to reduce the wa~te length of the tape. When the le~t margin length mO for the previous printing i3 le~s than the predetermined di~tance n between the thermal head 532 and the cutter 640, a front cut mar~ is ~,, printed at a position ahead of a feeding end of the tape by the distance mO as shown in Fig~ 29B. The waste length of the next label is accordingly decreased a~ clearly shown in description of the pre-print feeding proce~s for second or subsequent printin~. When the left margin length mO for the previous printinq is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance n between the thermal head 532 and the cutter 640~
printing of the front cut mark is not required as ~hown in Fig. 29C.

The front cut ~ark denotes a starting position of an effecti~e area as a next label. The u~er then cuts the tape at the position of the front c~t mark to eliminate an non-required portion before the front cut mark. In this case, the left ~argin of a ne~t label is between the front cut mark and the position of the thermal head 532 : ., ! -67-. ;, ~, ,, `:;1 ~ . . . .... ,.,,, . , ., .,. , .,. . , ,,, . , ",, ~, ... . .

, ~ r 2 ~
, . . ( 21 Pre-print Feeding Proce~s fox Eir~t Printing , . ..
In the pre-print feedil1g proceis3 ~Eor the :~irst printing, it is naturally not required to consider the post~print feeding in previousi printing. There may be, however, a ~ 5 potential trouble due to slack of the ink ribbon or the like.
-r~ The tape is thereby fed by the head-cutter-distance n ~;3 or prevention of the po-tential trouble before a front cut , ' !,.
iA mark is printed. The tape is then fed again by a left margin length m2 for the first printing.
.,, `
10 ( 3 ) Pre-print Feeding Process for Second or Subsequent s~ Printing . ~
(3-l) ,; .,~ .
When a left margin length mO for the previous printing .i is equal to a left margin length m2 for the current printing and each margin length mO or m2 ii~ equal to or great~er than the head-cut~er-distance n, the pre-prin~ f eeding is e~ecuted under such a condition as shown in Fig . 2 9C ( aIter cut ting ) .
Since the tape has already been fed by the predetermined ~; di~itance n, the tape is further fed by a di~ference m2~n for ~: 20 the left margin m2 prior to the printing process.
~: (3-2) . .~ i When a le~t margin length mO for the previou~ printing equal to a left margin length m2 for the current printing and eac~ margin length mO or m2 i~i smaller than the head-i, '!~ 1 :
~ ~ 25 cu~ter-distance n, the pre-print feeding is e~ecuted under ;" isuch a condition as shown in Fig. 29B (after cutting~ In ~.~.'1 , .,!':,.
. . - :. ,, ~i! 3 --6 ~
,. .. .

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chi~ case, the left margin length m2 for -the current printiny (=the left margin length mO for the previous printing) is equal to a di~tance between the front cut mark and the position of the thermal head 532. No pre-print feeding is thereby required prior to the print:ing process.

In actual operation, most cases correspond to ei~her ~i~
(3-l) or ~3-2). In the ca~es of the condition (3 l3 and (3-2), no pre-print feeding is required since the po~t-print feeding for the previous printing has already fulfilled the requirement. This efficiently shortens the average printing ,~
time and significantly improves the u~ability of the tape printing device.
~ .-, .. (3 3) When a le-Et margin length mO for the previous printin~
is not equal to a left margin length m2 for the current printing but bo~h the margin length~ mO and m2 are equal to or greater than the head-cutter-di~tance n, the pre-print b: ~
feedin~ is executed und~r ~uch a condit.ion a~ ~hown in Fig.
29C (a~ter cuttin~). Since the tape has already been fed hy the predetenmined di~tance n, the tape is further fedl by a difference m2~n for the left margin m2 prior to the printing process. This feeding proce~s is identical with that of the condition (3-l).
(3-4) When a left margin l~n~th mO for the previous prin~ing is equal to or greater than the head-cutter-distance n and a -3~

.,:,J

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:: left Inargin length m2 for the current printing i~ smaller . ,~,;~
than the predetermined distance n, the pre-print feeding is .;. executed under ~uch a condition as shown in FigO 29C (after cutting). A length of the tape before the thermal head 532 is greater ~han the required length of the left margin m2 for the current printing and is thereby not used as the left margin m2. In this case, a front cut mark is printed at the position of the thermal head 532, and the tape is then fed by the left margin length m2 prior to the printing process.

, , ~
~3-5) When a left margin length mO for the previous printing is smaller than the head-cutter-distance n and a left margin length m2 for the current printing is equal to or greater ~:~ than the predetermined di~tance n, the pre~print feeding is e~ecuted under such a condition as shown in Fig. 29B (after :cutting~. The distance mO between the front cut mark and the thermal head 532 i~ ~maller than the required length m2 of the left margin for the current printing. The tape is `!~;;.~
thereby fed by a difference m2-mO for the left margin m2 prior to the printing process.

(3-6) hen both a left ~rgin length mO for the previous printing and a left margin length m2 for the current printing are smaller than ~he head-cutter-distance n and the left margin length m~ is gr~ater than the left margin length mO
for the previous printing, the pre-print feeding i5 egecu~ed in the same manner as that of the condition (3-5)~
,,,~. -r ~ ~ 7 ~) ~;
~5 ::'~ ,"

2 ~ ~ 7 '~ -1 {3 ., :,"(3-7) ~"1 When both a left margin length mO for -the previous ~ ]
;';iprinting and a le~t margin length m2 for the current printing are smaller than the head-cutter-distance n and the left ,35 margin ].ength m2 is equal to or smaller than the left margin ~' length mO for the previous printing, the pre-print feeding is executed under such a condition as shown in Fig. 29B (after ~'`1 cutting). The distance mO be~ween the front cuk mark and the thermal head 532 is greater than the re~uired lengt,h of the 0 left margin m2 for the current printing and i~ thereby not used as the left margin m2. In this ca~e, a front cut mark , ~ is printed at the position of the thermal head 532, and the ~..
tape is then fed by the lef~ margin length m2 prior ~o the printing pro~e~s.
15As described above~ the structure of the emhodiment ,~.3~ allow~ desirable lengths of left and right margins to be efficiently set through the pre-print feeding and the post-print : feeding proces~.
~- In this embodiment, the left ~nd right margins are " ~
determined according to the in~truction of the user a~ well as the tape width. Labels thus obtained have a well-balanced combination of le~t and right margins and a print area in ,..~.3 i~ accordance with the tape width.
.:., :;
The user sets the left and right marqin lenqths as ~~ relative values and is thereby not required to adjust the !~margin lengths every time when a tape of a different, width is ,.i -71-'.,~j ;,,;~ .
~ .
~.:3 .1:

2 ~ 7 l~ ~
. .
1 set in the tapa printing device.
.:, The post-print feeding i3 executed by con~idering the ~j left margin length for the next printing to minimize the waste length of the label, thereby efficiently saving both ~ 5 the co~t and resource.
.
The left and right margin lengths may be specified as absolute values in,tead of the relative values t'small~, ~average', 'large', and 'minimum') in the ab~ve embodiment.

For example, the user specifies margin lengths a~ absolute : I
values for a tape of a minimum width and corrects the absolute values for other tapes. In another application, left and right margins are previously set and stored for each tape width. The left and right margins are then read out according to the width of the tape set in the tape printing , 1 ~'J, 15 deviceO
The front cut mark is printed in the left mar~in setting process according to the require~ents in this embodiment using the manual cutter. An automatic cutting device may alternatively be applicable to the tape printing device, ,~ ~ which ,allow~ the tape to ba automatically cut at a certain position corresponding to the non-printed front cut markn A fourth embodiment of the invention where the printing :.'!
process is varied according to the tape width is described i hereinaftar. A hardware structure of the fourth embodiman~
identical with that of -the third embodiment. Fig. 30 i~
a flowchart showing a printing process in the fourth embodimen~.
;:~
. ., ~ -72-, ,~

~77l~
.
, . .
The user can print a desirable ~eries of characters ~tored in the text area 523d of the RAM 523.
.,~ .
~ When the printing key of the key input element 511 i~
/ ~
operated, the ~PU 521 starts a printing proces~ program stored in the ROM 522. At step S700, the CPU 521 reads tape width information on a tape currently set in ~he -tape printing device. For e~ample, the CPU 521 read~ re~ult~ of detection by the tape width detection seD~or 512. The program then goes to ~tep S701 a-t which the CPU 521 e~pands 10 the series of characters in the text area 523d to ~ots in a printing buffer on the RAM 523~
'.:i,:~J
The printing buf~er virtually has a width corre~ponding to the number of dot elements of the thermal head 532, that i~, corre~ponding to the number of dots of a maximum tape 15 width. E~pansion of the character information to pixel~ is e~ecuted irrespective of the tape width information.
After completion of the pi~el expansion ~totally or by a predetermined amount), the CPU 521 tran~fers dot on/off information obtained through the pi~el expansion to the head i ~ ~ driving circuit 534 via the output inter~ace element 526. In ; ..~ ,..
the embodLment, the transfer output is regulated according to "~,i ~ the tape width information.
. ~, More concretely, at step S702, the CPU 521 determines a width range of do~ data to be read out of the printing buffer based on the tape width information input at ~tep S700. The program then proceeds to step S703 at which the CPU 521 - :., ~ transfers to the head driving circui~ 534 the dot data read , .:, ;~ 73-' ' '1 ,, f'',.'~
~ -,3 ::1 ' .'.'.1 I ` 2 ~
~1 ~ut of the prin-ting buffer for the determined wiclth range a8 well as ~pecific dot data repre~enting dot-o~f instruction for an area out of the width range irrespective of the ~contents of the printing buf~er. The data transfer and tape ,~5 feedi.ng are conducted by consiflering the left and right marqins as described in detail in the third embodiment.

~,~fter co~pletion of dot data tran~fer (including le~t 'Jand right margin settin~), the CPU 521 return~ to the state .. ` immediately before operation of the printing key at step S704. The program then exit~ from the printing routine.
., ..The width range determined according to the tape width ", information correspond~ to a range of dot element~ on -the thermal head 532 within the tape width.

As described above, dot data in the determined width !!`i .
range i~ transferred to the head driv.ing circuit 534. Dot elements in a predetermin~d range (a range determined according . ~
to the tape width information) o~ the thermal head 532 are .. -.`~ thus heated according to the dot on/off information expanded in the printing buffer while dot element~ ou~ of the predetenmined ..~ range are not heated at all.
..
The structure of the fourth ambodiment actuates only the ~.~r., ~;,idot elements in the predetermined range of the thermal head 532 according to the tape width~ thus effeckively preventing ink from being applied on a platen roller when a printing range is mis~akenly set to be out of the tape e~istence.
ven when the printing range is equal to or smaller ~han i .,,.~
~ -74-2~77116 ~: the tape w.idth, noise generated in p:ixel expan~ion process :
`- may change off-dot data corresponding to an area ou~ of the predetermined range to on-dot data in the printing bu~er.

In such a ca~e, the structure also prevents dot elements out of the predetermiined range of the thermal head 532 from being , heated, thereby protecting the platen roller from ink.

This result~ in effective prevention of potan~ial mechanical troubles as well as stained labels or undesirahly .. ~.
long labels.

10These effects are realized by chan~ing only the printing proce~s routine but not changing the hardware i-tself. A
.~i complicated, bulky tape printing device is not required for :, . these effect~, accordingly.
~':
In another application, the ~erie3 of characters may be .~,15 expanded to dots based on the tape width information. When part of a dot pattern of characters is out of the tape wid~h, on-dot data corre~ponding to the part are forcibly turned to , ....
off-data in the printing buffer.
~vl:Modi~ication of the fourth embodiment i5 now described, where the function of the fourth embodiment .is realized not ~.~by changing the ~oftware but by changing the har~ware. In ,i,'!this modified embodiment, dot data obtained thro~gh pî~el e~pan~ion of a ~erie~ of characters in the printin~ buffer on .'~the RAM 523 is read out of the printing buf~er to cover the i .~i ~;~ whole range of the thermal head 532 irre~pective o~ the tape width.

^ :,` 2, .` ' .`i ~ 75-,~
,~
~3 . ~
,,.,~'~., !,' ,~

2 :107 ~ 6 ., Fig . 31 i~ a blo~k diagram illu~trating an es~ential ~ructure of the modi~ied embodiment. The thermal head 532 includes a plurality of dot elements 551 through 55n arranged ~ in a column, which cover the whole range of a maximum tape :l 5 wi~th. The dot elements 551, 552, ~........ , 55n are driven hy corresponding driver circuits 561, 562, u..... , 56n (the driver circuit~ constitute the head driving circuit 534).
,.
In thi~ embodiment, the drive~r ~ircuits 561, 562, .....
56n are connected with dot on/off ~ignal lines from the 10 output interface element 526 (~ee Fig. 26~ not directly but via corresponding gate circuit~ 541, 542l ...., 54n.

Each gate circuit 541, 542, ...., or 54n receives an openîng/closing control ~ignal output from a tape width ,~;
~ in~ormation conver~ion circuit 540 to allow or inhibit pas~age ~;
of a dot on/off ~ignal output from the output intexface element 526 based on the op2ning/closing control signal.
'~"
The tape width information conver~ion circuit 540 recei~es tape width infon~ation detected by the tape width ., .
; detection sensor 512 (see Fig~ 26) via the input interface element 525 (see Fig. 26). The tape width information : i conversion circuit 540 i~ realized, for example, a~ a decoder cixcuit for outputting a number n o~ opening/closing contxol signal~ according ~o the ~ape width information. For example, when a tape of a ma~imum width i~ ~et in the tape printing device, the tape width information conver~ion circuit 540 allow~ pas~age of all the n openingtclosing control signals.
When a narrower tape is ~et in the tape printing device, on 2:~77~;

the other hand, the tape width informat.ion conversion circuit 540 allows pas~age of a certa.in dot number of opening/closing control signal.s corresponding to the tape width and inhibits pa~sage of the other opening/closing control ~ignal~.
In the structure of the embocliment, certain dot on/off ~! slgnals corresponding to the tape width extracted from the . numher n of the dot on/off ~igna:Ls output From the output O interface element 526 pass through the gate circuits 54n to r''l the driver circuits 56n. Certain dot element~ on the thennal ~, 1~ head 532 corresponding to the tape width are on/off controlled according to the dot on/off information expanded in the i. printing bu~fer while the other dot elements are not heated at all.
., . The structure of the modified embodiment actuates only ~:15 the certain dot elemen~s of the thermal head 532 corresponding ~;to the tape width, thus effectively preventing ink from being i,^
applied on a platen roller when a printing range i~ mistakenly :j~et to be out of the tape e~istence. Rven when the printing :., range is equal to or ~maller than the tape width, noise generated in pi~el expan~ion process may change off-dot data corresponding to an are~ out of the predetermined range to on-dot data in the printing buffer. In such a case~ the ~tructure also prevents non-required dot element~ from being hea~ed, thereby protecting the platen roller from ink.
Thi~ re~ults in effective prevention of potential mechanical troublPs a~ well a~ stained labels or undes.irably !,'~
~ long labels.
,:., ~ -77-,...... .

: ;.
, 21 B77~

Although the printing head appl:ied in the tape printing .
device is only a thermal transfer type so far, the principle ..
~ of the present invention may, however, be applicable ~o any :
; printing head. The tape width in~ormation is detected by the sensor in the above embodiment, but alternatively the tape ~,~
` width information may be ~et in every replacement of the . ., tape.

The time period of power supply to the thermal head 532, ~1:
the applled voltage, the pulse wld-th, or the pul3e number may . , `~ 10 be varied according to the type of the tape accommodated in the tape cartridge. Alternatively, -the torque o~ the stepping .~
` motor for feeding the tape may be adjusted according to khe i~ tape~

'~ Fig. 32 i~ a flowchart showing an e~ample of adjusting the power ~upply time. The CP~ 521 first reads the type of the tape cartridge at istep S800 and determines whether the ~, tape in the tape cartridge isi paper tape or resin tape at step S801. When the tape i~ made of paper, the program goe~
to ~tep S802 at which a time period of power ~upply to the thermal head 532 i~ set equal to a predetermîned value tl.

When the resin tape i~i accommodated in ~he ~ap~ cartridge, on the other hand, the program goes to step S803 at which the time period of pow~r supply is set equal to another prQdetermined value t2, which is grea~er than the predetermined value tl~
he predetermined value tl or t2 defines the time period for ~upplying power to dot element~ on the ~hermal head 532 corresponding -to black dots to be printed. ~he ~horter powsr 'r. `; i ~3ii~

:~`
21~7~
, : supply time .i9 set for the paper tape since large power may ,!
.damage the paper tape having lower thermal ~onductivity. The time period of power supply may be varied according to the type of the ink ribbon other than that o~ the tape.
3~ 5Fig. 33 i~ a flowchart ~ho~ing an e.~ample of torque . ,~
~. varia~ion. In this example, the CPu 521 fir~t reads the ~ype~..,~.
:;b of the tape cartridge at ~tep S820 and determine~ according .. ~ to information of the tape material and tape width, whether the torque should be increased. When the torque-up i~
:. 10 required, for example, when a relatively large ~orce i~
~ required for tape feeding due to the large tape width or the ., large friction according to the material or surface roughness of the tape, the program goe~ to 3tep S823 at which the pulse width of a 4-phase dri~e outpuk of the motor driving circuit 533 is ~et to a larger value for the. torque-up. When no torque-up i3 required, on the other hand, the program goes to ep S822 at which the pulse width is ~et to a standard ~r?; ~
~ value. The applied voltage or the number of pulses per unit -.~ time may be varied in~tead of the pul~e width of the 4-phase ~ ~ drive pulse.
x:~
~ A~i described above in detail, the first embodiment ha~ a .;, ~ tructure for reading information ~uch as a tape width proper ~,!
~: to a tape cartridge and adju~ting and controlling a character .i. size according to the tape width, a combination of a line ;i~i number and a character ~ize, and a feeding torque of the tape~ The ~econd embodiment records a type of the tape ...~
~ cartridge inclucling the tape width as electrically readable :
~ 79-.~
.~ .
;,, 1 .
' ,~
.

i . ti'.: ,., ~ . ,,, ." .; ~; ,, , ~ , , " " , ~ ,, , " ,, "

2~ 1~7 l~ 6 data and allowing specific informa-~ion to be writtQn. The third embodimPnt automatically sets lengths o~ left and right marg.ins on a label according to the tape width. The fourth embodiment prohibits driving of a printinq head out of the tape width. The essential feature3 of these embodiment~ may be combined with one another accoxding to the requirements.
Although a serie~ o~ characters are laid out within the tape width in the first embodiment, the essential features of the fourth embodiment, that is, prohibition of driving the dot element~ on the thermal head 532 out of the tape width, may preferably be combined with the first embodiment~ When a large number of printing lines are specified, application of even a minimum charact~r size makes the printing range out of the tape width. The ~tructure of the fourth e~bodiment is ~x15 effective in such a case. Since there may be potential ..~
mistake or noi~e generation during dot expansion of the series of characters in the text area, the structure of ~he jfour~h embodiment which can securely prevent ink from being ,.. ,. ~
undesirably applied on a platen roller i~ pre~erably combined wi~h the principle of the first embodiment~
There may be many chan~e~, modification~, and alteration~
without departing from the scope or spirit of essential characteri~tic~ o~ the invention, and it is thereby clearly under~tood that the above embodiment3 are only illustrative and not re~trictive in a~y senseO The spirit and ~cope of the present invention i~ only limited by the terms of the appended claims.

., .
, .

,~ ,.

Claims (26)

1. A tape cartridge accommodating a tape and detachably attached in a tape printing device for printiPng a desirable series of characters on said tape, said tape cartridge comprising:

a characteristic element storing specific information on said tape in a certain form readable by said tape printing device.

2. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said specific information in said characteristic element comprises a contour of said tape cartridge, which is mechanically readable by said tape printing device.

3. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said specific information in said characteristic element comprises a combination of a plurality of openings, which is mechanically readable by said tape printing device.

4. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein said characteristic element is formed to allow a type of said tape cartridge to be discriminated through observation with naked eyes.

5. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said characteristic element stores said specific information on said tape as electric data.

6. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said characteristic element stores said specific information on said tape as magnetic data.

7. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said characteristic element stores said specific information on said tape as optical data.

8. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 5, wherein said electric data stored in said characteristic element is updated.

9. A tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said specific information on said tape stored in said characteristic element comprises a width of said tape.

10. A tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge with a tape accommodated therein for printing a desirable series of characters on said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters, characteristic element recognition means for recognizing a characteristic element previously and mechanically provided on said tape cartridge; and character series modification means for modifying and printing said desirable series of characters input by said input means based on results of said recognition by said characteristic element recognition means.

11. A tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge with a tape accommodated therein for printing a desirable series of characters on said tape, said device comprising:

input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;

characteristic element recognition means for recognizing a characteristic element previously and electrically provided on said tape cartridge; and character series modification means for modifying and printing said desirable series of characters input by said input means based on results of said recognition by said characteristic element recognition means.

12. A tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge with a tape accommodated therein for printing a desirable series of characters on said tape, said device comprising:

input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;

characteristic element recognition means for recognizing a characteristic element previously and magnetically provided on said tape cartridge; and character series modification means for modifying and printing said desirable series of characters input by said input means based on results of said recognition by said characteristic element recognition means.

13. A tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge with a tape accommodated therein for printing a desirable series of characters on said tape, said device comprising:

input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;

characteristic element recognition means for recognizing a characteristic element previously and optically provided on said tape cartridge; and character series modification means for modifying and printing said desirable series of characters input by said input means based on results of said recognition by said characteristic element recognition means.

14. A tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape, said tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract specific information on said tape stored therein; and printing means for determining a number of points of said desirable series of characters to be printed on said tape based on results of said reading by said characteristic element reading means, and printing said desirable series of characters on said tape according to said determination.

15. A tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape, said tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract specific information on said tape stored therein; and printing means for determining a layout of said desirable series of characters based on results of said reading by said characteristic element reading means, and printing said desirable series of characters on said tape according to said determination.

16. A tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape, said tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract specific information on said tape stored therein; and printing means for determining a feeding torque of said tape based on results of said reading by said characteristic element reading means, and printing said desirable series of characters on said tape according to said determination.

17. A tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape, said tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract specific information on said tape stored therein; and printing means for determining a head driving condition based on results of said reading by said characteristic element reading means, and printing said desirable series of characters on said tape according to said determination.

18. A tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape, said tape printing device detachably receiving a tape cartridge which has a characteristic element showing at least a difference of a tape width to discriminate said tape, said device comprising:
input means for inputting said desirable series of characters;
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract specific information on said tape stored therein;
possible arrangement display means for displaying a plurality of possible arrangements, on said tape, of said desirable series of characters input by said input means, based on results of said reading by said characteristic element reading means;
character series arranging means for selecting a specific character arrangement out of said possible arrangements and arranging said desirable series of characters input by said input means according to said specific character arrangement; and printing means for printing said series of characters arranged by said character series arranging means on said tape.

19. A tape printing device detachably receiving said tape cartridge in accordance with claim 8 for printing a desirable series of characters on said tape;
said device comprising:
characteristic element reading means for reading said characteristic element of said tape cartridge to extract said specific information electrically stored therein; and updating means for updating said specific information electrically stored in said characteristic element of said tape cartridge.

20. A tape printing device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said specific information updated by said updating means comprises a residual amount of said tape in said tape cartridge.

21. A tape printing device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said specific information updated by said updating means comprises a code representing a user.

22. A tape printing device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said specific information updated by said updating means comprises a consumed amount of said tape.

23. A tape printing device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said specific information updated by said updating means comprises a password.

24. A tape printing device for printing a series of characters on a tape and cutting and discharging said tape with said series of characters printed thereon;
said device comprising:
margin information setting and storing means for setting and storing margin information representing at least one of lengths of a left margin and a right margin to be set before and after said series of characters printed on said cut tape;
tape width detection means for detecting tape width information representing a width of said tape set in said device; and margin setting means for setting said left margin and said right margin in printing, based on said margin information stored in said margin information setting and storing means as wall as said tape width information detected by said tape width detection means.

25. A tape printing device in accordance with claim 24, wherein said margin information setting and storing means sets and stores said lengths of said left margin and said right margin as relative values, and said margin setting means converts said relative values to absolute values based on said tape width information and sets said left and right margins corresponding to said absolute values.

26. A tape printing device for printing a series of characters comprising one or a plurality of lines of input characters on a tape and cutting and discharging said tape with said series of characters printed thereon;
said device comprising:

tape width information reading means for reading tape width information representing a width of said tape set in said device; and head driving range control means for driving specific dot elements in a certain range according to said tape width information out of a plurality of dot element arranged in series on a printing head.